Debris Wave Alpha
by O' Future Ruler Maria Larry
Summary: Sonic has a sister, Maria. Maria finds herself spending a lot of time with Shadow. Is this love? Read and Review, please. ShadowxOC
1. Prologue

(I DO NOT OWN SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG/ULTIMATE LIFEFORM,

HE IS OWNED BY THE SONIC TEAM! For goodness sake get it through your thick heads people.)

In my version Shadow hasn't died and don't expect him to. I'm making a movie on this and my best friend, Zack, is playing Shadow so I'm not gonna let my friend die! I might make fun of him a bit, though. I didn't design this thinking Zack is Shadow, although I designed it as myself being Maria.

There are a few new characters. Maria, Sonic's sister, Breeze, Knux's sister Jwan, a young echidna, Tiavinah, a curious armadillo, Stella, an innocent wolverine, and everyone on the Dawgz team.

**Warning:** I sorta just started from scratch. I'm basically ditching the past and making a future.

My name is Maria. I am Sonic's sister. I am a Hedgechidna. 6 years ago I was on a vacation with Sonic, Knux (Knuckles), and Breeze, Knux's sister. That was when I had my first run in with Shadow, Shadow the Ultimate Lifeform. I didn't know it then, but it would be the first of many.

Our first encounter didn't go over very smoothly. A little while afterwards I had my memory wiped, so remembering is a bit hard. Shadow and Sonic obviously didn't like each other but I knew nothing about Shadow at the time. All I can remember clearly was Shadow charging at Sonic. When a black hedgehog charges at your younger brother suddenly it doesn't matter if you know them or not, you just gotta do somethin' about it.

I punched 'em in the gut. I was unaware of my strength. He flew in the air and smacked into our ship, spaceship that is. That was my first encounter.

The second time I saw Shadow I was on the Space Colony Ark. My mother is, shall we say, insane. She's overly protective of me and yet she never shows any true love for me. It's as though she's protective just because I'm her daughter. She wants to control my life instead of letting me live it myself. One day I got a letter inviting me to go on a space cruise. I took any opportunity I could to get away from mom. Naturally I didn't tell mom I was leaving.

When I got on the ship I bumped into Shadow. Despite our rendezvous on my vacation we quickly grew to like each other. Don't even think of it like that I meant we were friends. Shadow seemed to stalk one of the human girls on the ship, Dee. I tried over and over again to tell him her name and even tried to introduce the two but Shadow's mind was constantly going everywhere. One moment he's drooling over Dee the next he's stuffing his face at the buffet table. One night I was walking to my room when stopped as I overheard a conversation between Dee and Gerald Robotnik.

"So, grandfather I hear you have a force field capable of with standing a nuclear explosion, is that right?" Dee said.

"Why, yes, it is. And after my creation of Shadow I feel that I may be able to create many wonderful things for the sake of our good man kind. Although the force field is not yet finished, it is still a prototype." I heard the kind smile in Gerald's voice.

"So, could you tell me how to work it?" Dee said in a way that began to make me nervous.

"Well, why in the milky way galaxy would you want to know that?" I myself was thinking the same thing.

"Just tell me, old man!" Dee hissed.

"That's no way to talk to your grandfather, young lady!" I heard a clicking noise.

"Tell me." Dee hissed once more.

"Okay! Um… the instructions are in the drawer to the right of the master computer!" After that I heard a gunshot and a loud thump. My blood went cold.

"Thank you, grandfather. I appreciate your services, I really do." Dee's laugh was high pitched and cold. "And now for my next victim," I silently prayed it wasn't me "Shadow the Ultimate Lifeform."

She stepped out of the room shotgun in hand. She saw me and her eyes narrowed. Intuition made me turn and run the other way. Of course she chased me. I ran to pod sector 5 where I got ready to get in the escape pod and leave. I looked back to see if she was close. But when I turn my head forward again I ran straight into Shadow.

"Are you okay?" He asked and picked me up off the floor.

"I'm fine. Look Shadow, Dee is after you. You have to get out of here!" I heard the door lock behind us.

"Who's Dee?" Shadow cocked his head to the left. I turned to see a flustered Dee aiming straight for our heads. Luckily Shadow never noticed she'd entered the room.

I pushed Shadow into the escape pod and was about to press the button when Dee shot at me. She hit my arm, but only barely.

"You have to get out!" I screamed. But Shadow hardly heard me.

"What's your name?" He said to Dee. His eyes clouded as though in a trance.

Dee paid him no mind, "Maria!" She screamed as I pushed the escape button.

After that my memory was wiped and I wouldn't see Shadow for another year.

A year later I joined Sonic's Team and had no memories of meeting Shadow what's so ever. My first mission was one of the more dangerous one's and it involved going back on the ark.

Shadow was a good guy and had joined Sonic's team to help man kind instead of breaking it down bit by bit. When we arrived on the ark Shadow and I found so many things familiar that we were sort of creeped out. We met up with two humans, Sally and Tommy, who told us our past on board ark. Dee kidnapped them shortly afterwards.

While on the ark we discovered Xipho, another prototype of Shadow that looked exactly like him except instead of red streaks he had orange tiger stripes. We also discovered odd powers called Elements. I have the element of Fire, Shadow's is Darkness (Big shocker, isn't it?), Breeze's is Water, Sonic's is Weather, Knux's is love (It should have been black-mailing. That's what he used it for anyway.), Tikal's is wind, Cream's is light, Amy's is earth, Rouge's is mist, Tails is sky, Haley, Tikal's niece, is unity, Jwan, a new member, is life, Tiavinah, you'll hear more about her later, is Gravity, and Stella, Again, you'll hear more later, is death.

Eventually we took down Dee and restored order to the space colony.

Sonic, being the annoying little brother he is, went and blabbed to mom about how dangerous the mission was. Mom, psycho and totally insane mom, pulled me out of the team and dragged me home like I was a 3 year old.

On my seventeenth birthday there was a knock at my door. Shadow had come to see me. Mom didn't like Shadow. On her "How to be a good mom" instructional videos it must have said to hate all of your daughter's guy friends. Mom was a bigger jerk to Shadow than she was to me. I'm telling you, if there's one way to ruin your kid's birthday it's by telling her best friend to get lost and telling him you ran off and married Espio. One word, Ew.

Shadow is loaded, I don't know how, 'cause he's in a non-profit organization, but the guy's freakin' loaded. Anyhoo, after giving me a miniature spaceship while I was on the team, he gave me a garnet ring shaped like fire with my name engraved on it for my birthday.

So maybe I was a bit overly thankful when I kissed him on the cheek but it was in front of mom, so expect me to be a bit extreme. Well, after that mom kicked him out and I ran away.

Then Breeze and I started a new team, of bounty hunters. While I was gone Shadow sent me letters. My first letter arrived on my eighteenth birthday.

It read:

Dear Maria,

You're 18. Congrats, we can officially get married. Okay, okay, kidding. As you've probably already figured out I sent your presents with the letter. A dress that I had designed by Chloe Dao, a necklace to match your ring, and a plasma screen TV. I couldn't choose between the three so I got you all of them. Sonic's now leaning over my shoulder to see what I'm writing. "Don't put that! Don't even bring up the subject of marriage when you're talking to my sister!" "I'll bring up whatever subject I want! Buzz off!" I honestly don't know how you live knowing he's actually related to you when you wake up in the morning. "HI! Are you talking to Maria, Shadow? Lemme see! Wow! Your dress is really pretty, Maria." "Could I get a moment alone with my writing, Amy?"

"Technically you're speaking into a microphone and the computer's writing it down" "I don't care! Go away!" sigh. So as I was saying, Happy B-day. I miss you. 

Love,

Shadow Ultimate Lifeform

P.S. "Love! Don't put LOVE when you're writing my sister!" "Shut up!"

I laughed as I lay in my bed. I picked up a photo from my bed side table. I smiled. Slowly tears made their way down my freckled face. I put Shadow's picture back down and went to my computer. I began my reply immediately.

That year I recruited Tiavinah. Tiavinah was fourteen at the time. She asked a truckload of questions. Shadow came to my ship and told the Black Hearts, our bounty hunter group, the Sonic Team needed our help. Kami, a monk from the future, who was supposed to make sure my future doesn't go awry, gone bad, was planning on blowing up a good part of the universe. While we were trying to stop her Shadow picked up a little girlfriend, Laurie.

Laurie is a prissy little teen who has no respect for any one. She planned on keeping Shadow all to herself. Meaning, no playing video games with shadow, no beating bad guys with Shadow and no laughing and having an all around good time with Shadow. Shadow still encouraged me to do my best and stay myself and eventually unlocking Breeze and my ability to use all of the Elements.

In the end Kami, who had killed Carlos, the leader of the Dawgz Team, told Jwan she had the power over Life. Thus that was solved.

Shortly afterward I met Stella, a wolverine who had been abused by private schooling. Although she is probably the second nicest person I had ever met, she was labeled highly dangerous by her whole planet.

Breeze and I didn't feel she was being given a chance to work to her full potential so we took her in. As it turns out she wasn't using her full potential, later on we found out she had the power over death. Stella kills the people and Jwan brings them back to life.

Now I am 21 years old. I have just gotten a call from Shadow saying that there is a horrible attack taking place on earth and they need our help. It's always odd to hear the Emperor of Darkness, Shadow, asking for help.

My name is Maria. I am a Hedgechidna. I am Sonic's sister. I am Born of Fire.

I am the Empress of Darkness.


	2. Little Star

(I DON'T OWN SHADOW, THE ULTIMATE LIFEFORM, ALREADY! SONIC TEAM DOES!)

Maria Hedgehog

Age: 21

Species: Hedgechidna

Eyes: Green

Hair: Black w/ Red streaks

Skin: Green

Teeth: Fangs

Role: Sonic's sister

Personality: Enraged easily

Elements: All

Main Elements: Fire & Darkness

Ring, Ring, Ring

I picked up the phone.

"What is it? It's 2:46 a.m."

"Maria! I need you! There's been a huge disaster here on earth and no one can remember what happened! Bring all the Black Hearts! What in the…"

The line went dead.

"Shadow!"

I got dressed and alerted the team.

"What time is it? Did your boyfriend say he needed help again?"

Breeze was never a morning person.

"He's not my boyfriend. Besides, wouldn't you go if Xipho called?"

I glared.

"Probably not."

Breeze took a sip of her coffee.

"Ugh!"

"What happened?"

Stella, the youngest, only 14, looked at Tiavinah in search for comfort.

"Earth's in trouble… again. Maria, I think you're being a bit extreme with this. You dream about the guy every night, you could have dreamt the whole conversation."

Tiavinah looked weary.

"But…"

The team went back to their rooms.

I went back to bed but couldn't get any sleep.

All I could think about was how much I missed Shadow. Sure, I missed Sonic, but he's my brother. Shadow's friendship with me was different. It wasn't one sided. If I was ever in need of anything he'd come. I repay him by coming when he calls.

Ring, Ring, Ring

I picked it up.

"Hello!"

"Where are you, Maria?"

"It's all a dream."

"What!"

"I'm not really talking to you. I'm dreaming."

"Well this is one heck of a dream. Did Breeze say not to come?"

"They all did."

"Well, I guess it's decided then."

"Shadow, I miss you so much."

"I miss you too, Maria."

He hung up.

I sat on the line for I don't know how long.

"Please hang up and try again. Please hang up and try again. Please hang up and…"

I smacked the receiver onto the charger and lay down on my bed.

I, Maria, born of fire, empress of darkness, lay on my bed crying like a 2 year old.

_Why did I have to leave the team, leave Sonic, leave Shadow?_

_Why wasn't I helping them right now?_

"Oh, Shadow…"

"You're going to have to get over him at one point, Maria."

Breeze entered the room.

"I don't want to get over him! I just want to see him again!"

"You will, in time."

"If I'm his freakin' empress why are we parsecs away from each other?"

"It's like you said, Maria, he's not your boyfriend. He's your guy friend. It'll be easier to get along than you think."

"Easy for you to say, you hate him!"

"That's not the point."

"Just go away."

"You can't continue to live in the past."

"Breeze, I'm not! He's not dead, he's alive. He's on earth fighting evil, without me! He calls me every day! You and Xipho can stay together 'cause you're official! But I have limited ways of keeping in touch with Shadow!"

"IF YOU'RE SO FREAKIN' WORRIED ABOUT THE GUY, WHY DON'T YOU JUST PULL HIM OUT OF REALITY!"

Breeze stormed off.

"Omigosh, Breeze, you're a genius! Breeze?"

I shrugged.

I concentrated hard on Shadow.

Eventually I was able to pull him out of reality and into my mind.

"_Shadow!"_

"_Maria!"_

"_Shadow, I can't believe it's you!"_

_I ran up and hugged him._

"_Oh, Shadow. I've missed you!"_

"_Who gave you the idea to pull me out of reality?"_

"_Breeze."_

"_Breeze did? Wow."_

"_What's happening on earth? Is your physical being fine? What about Sonic?"_

"_We don't know. Somehow a bunch of people went missing and when they came back they didn't know who they were or anything. All we know is they all have A-shaped scars on their backs. My physical being is just fine. Last time I checked Sonic was trying to perfect his burping skills."_

"_A-shaped scars, Hm… I'm not sure what that would mean."_

"Maria?"

Someone called from outside my mind.

"_I gotta go."_

"_Figured."_

"_Call me."_

"_When haven't I?"_

_I giggled._

"Maria?"

Stella came and sat next to me.

"What's Shadow like?"

She was so young, so innocent, her gaze just about tore me up inside.

"Shadow and I look a lot alike."

I said it in chunks, searching for the right words.

"Such as, our hair, black with red streaks. And our, teeth, we have fangs."

"I have fangs!"

Stella looked happy to know there were others like her.

"We tend to get overly emotional, angry mostly."

"Same here!

She smiled.

"We don't take advantage of one another; we're… friends, really close friends."

"Sonic said Shadow was incapable of emotions such as love."

"He is capable of anger therefore he is capable of love. My dad once told me that.

I miss my dad. I haven't seen him since I was 6. He still calls me his little girl and he hasn't missed one of my birthday parties."

"I wish I had that kind of relationship with my parents."

"I'm sure it's doable."

"I'm not."

"Hey, you're our little ball of sunshine here at the Black Hearts. Don't get all mad just 'cause of your parents. And, hey, I can't stand my mom! If it makes you feel better, go against every rule they set for you and I'll make sure nothing bad happens."

Stella laughed then she sighed.

"Thanks, Maria, for everything."

"No prob., little star."

Stella left the room.

I felt happy about being able to make a difference in Stella's life.

But, I still couldn't deny my aching to find Shadow, see him in person.

To tell him how I felt.

To tell him…

_Whoa there!_

_Tell him what?_

_There's nothing here to tell him!_

_He's doing fine at the Sonic Team and you're doing fine in the Black Hearts._

_Everybody wins._

_I don't!_

_I wanna see him!_

_I wanna know he's safe!_

_I don't feel right waking up without him being just a wall away._

_Not know ing if he's alright._

_We haven't gotten into 1 single fight since I left._

_I can't even get mad at him any more!_

_I used to be a pro at that!_

_Sigh._

I turned over onto my stomach.

I pressed my head into my pillow and screamed.


	3. Debris Wave Alpha

(I DO NOT OWN SHADOW yadda, yadda, yadda, SONIC TEAM CREATED SHADOW, SO DON'T SEE ME AS A CHARACTER MAKING GENIUS UNLESS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT Maria Hedgehog)

_Wanna take me on_

_I wanna take you down_

_Don't take much ta make me angry_

_Won't take much to bring you down_

_All the things that bring you joy_

_They'll all burn in a flash_

_I'll make you suffer boy_

_Watch out when Titans Clash_

_Watch out!_

'_Cause I'll attack_

_Watch out!_

_Better watch your back_

_Watch out!_

_I have no fear_

_Watch out!_

_The end is near_

That was a clip from "Watch out!" Maria's Theme song

(Next Day)

"Maria?"

"Yes, little star?"

I like to call Stella "little star" because her name means star.

"I wanna see Shadow."

"Join the club."

"No, I mean it. I've been thinking. After I talked to you last night I asked Tiavinah about him. He sounds absolutely fascinating."

"Ya know, he really is."

"Can I meet him? Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh? Huh?"

"I'm sorry but I doubt Breeze is or ever will be in the mood to go see him."

"But…"

"No."

She pouted.

"Pweeeeaze?"

"No."

"All right, sniff, I guess you don't like me anymore."

"Stella."

"No, no. I'm fine. sniff. I'll go on."

"Oh, aright. But it'll have to be quick."

"Yay!"

We hopped in the spaceship/car thingy and headed towards earth.

We stopped at Mcgroggle's and ordered two super-sized Grando-mics with quintuple thick milkshakes.

When we arrived on earth everything seemed vacant.

No one was there.

"Shadow?"

I yelled knowing Shadow would be able to hear me if I was on Pluto and calling his name.

"Maria?"

"Is that him?"

Stella's ears perked up.

"Yes it is."

Back then there were no hover boards and stuff so Stella and I just ran like the wind.

"Shadow…"

I was breathless after not seeing him in three years.

"That's him?"

Stella looked at me and looked at Shadow and looked at me again.

"Don't you go near my sis…"

Sonic started.

I ran up and hugged Shadow.

Except this time, it was real.

"Ter."

Sonic ended.

"Yeah, that's Shadow."

Stella smiled.

I don't know how long I hugged him for, but it was somewhere between 5 and 15 minutes.

"Who's your friend?"

Shadow looked at Stella.

Stella looked down in embarrassment.

"Meet Stellaluna. She likes to be called Stella, but I much prefer calling her little star."

I put my arms out as though presenting her.

"Hi. You're Shadow, correct?"

Stella put her hand out for Shadow to shake.

Shadow took it gladly.

"The one and only."

Shadow smiled.

His fangs shone brightly.

"Wow. Fangs. I have fangs too! You're the only person besides Maria that I've met who has fangs."

_Oops._

I didn't want Shadow to know I had fangs.

Shadow's never dated some one with fangs before.

_What!_

_Why does that even matter!_

_It, it just does._

_It shouldn't…_

"Maria has fangs?"

Shadow turned and looked at me.

I smiled awkwardly.

"Wow. She does. I never noticed."

He got closer to examine my freakish and mutated teeth.

I closed my mouth.

"Whoa. I must not pay much attention at all. They stick right out of her mouth!"

I pressed my lips together until you couldn't see my fangs.

"Okay, she already hugged you, there's no reason to get so freakin' close to her mouth."

Sonic said pulling Shadow backward.

"Time to leave, Stella."

I said turning to walk away.

"Aw. See ya later, Shadow."

"Bye."

Shadow waved but I didn't see.

BOOM

Stella and I turned around just in time to see a huge wave of debris heading straight toward us.

We ducked.

It was quick but it was breath taking.

Literally.

"Is everyone okay?"

I choked.

"Fine."

The three chimed.


	4. Interrogating

(SHADOW IS OWNED BY SONIC TEAM! AS IS SONIC AND THE GANG! ALTHOUGH Maria IS ALL MINE!)

In my version Knux and Tikal are not related, GOT THAT?

Phew.

"So, you said you needed help with something."

I picked Shadow up off the ground smiling.

"How kind of you to remember."

Shadow's fangs gleamed.

_There's something about those fangs._

_They make him seem so much more…_

_You were not just about to say attractive._

_Well, I was talking about the fangs not Shadow in particular._

_Although, Shadow is a bit…_

_Will you just shut up already!_

I laughed.

"What?"

Shadow wasn't mad, just confused.

"Oh, nothing."

I looked upward using my hand as a visor.

"I thought it was your thoughts I heard."

I turned to see Tikal and Knux wearing more cultural clothing than the usual.

"You didn't hear that."

I said my eyes wide with fright but my mouth stretched across my face, smiling ear to ear.

"Hey, I already caught the fang conversation 3 years ago. This is all review."

Stella hid behind my legs.

"Little star, its okay. There's not a reason in the world to be shy of Tikal. She herself used to be shy. But, then again, Knux used to be quiet."

"HEY!"

Knux hollered.

I giggled.

"Stop giggling, you're giving me a head ache."

Shadow held his forehead.

"I'm not sure whether that's good or bad."

I smiled slyly.

"You never used to giggle; or at least not a lot."

Shadow said.

"Yes, well you and I didn't get two seconds alone together a lot."

I quickly regretted my saying that.

Shadow's face turned bright red.

'_You just told him he makes you giggly!'_

"Yeah, but give you five seconds and I doubt you'd ever stop giggling!"

Tikal laughed.

"Oh, shut up."

I blushed too.

"What are they talking about?"

Stella looked up at me.

"Nothing you are anyone else should ever find interesting."

I grumbled.

"Oh… They mean you're flirty."

"Why, why in the universe to I hire the smart ones?"

"Stop it, Tikal. Shadow and Maria won't even be holding hands for quite a while now."

Knux grinned maliciously.

"Shadie'll have ta give Maria a few seconds to cool off!"

He concluded by falling to the ground and laughing until tears streamed down he and Tikal's faces.

"Love birds."

I mumbled and picked up Stella.

"Hey!"

Knux and Tikal blushed in unison.

"Stop it. You guys make me miss…"

Sonic had our full attention.

"I didn't say it and don't expect me to!"

Sonic yelled.

"Miss who?"

I smiled.

"Does my little bro have a crush on a certain pink hedgehog back at home?"

"Stop it! I do not like Amy!"

"I GAVE UP OBSESSING OVER YOU YEARS AGO, SONIC! WILL YOU JUST LET IT GO!"

Amy was near by.

"I didn't say it, Maria did!"

Obviously the village she lived in was near by.

I squinted and Amy slowly came into few.

"Wow."

I said.

"Wow what? I can't see!"

Stella squirmed.

"The last three years have done wonderful things for your appearance!"

I yelled.

"Thanks, if only they had done a little bit better on my village's population."

Amy had sent me a letter saying she quit the Sonic Team and was elected mayor by her village when she got home.

"Who's your wolverine friend?"

Amy was with our group now.

"I'm Stella, and despite the fact that you're holding a giant hammer that scares the heck out of me I will greet you showing no fear whatsoever."

Stella smiled.

"What'd she say?"

"That means she's Stella, put down the mallet."

"Oh."

Amy dropped her hammer and shook Stella's hand.

"So you said your village's population has suffered too?"

Shadow was into interrogation mode.

"Yes, actually."

Amy's eyes went dark.

"A bunch of them have disappeared."

Shadow and Sonic looked at each other.

"Another attack."

Shadow shook his head wearily.

"What attacks! What's going to happen to my people?"

Amy became frantic.

Sonic explained what had been happening for the past few months.

By the end of his explanation Amy was in tears.

"So you mean to say, my people are either dead or mind-wiped?"

Amy sobbed.

"Yeah, that's basically the gist of it."

Sonic said.

"Don't be so harsh."

I commanded.

"Well it's true!"

"That doesn't mean you have to tell her that!"

"Guys! Guys!"

Shadow tried to calm us down.

"It does us no good to fight right now."

"Whatever."

Sonic and I agreed to disagree.

"Siblings."

Shadow mumbled.

"Speaking of siblings, guess whose sibling you left in the Sahara desert to die!"

I knew that voice.

"Not you."

Shadow moaned.

Xipho, Shadow's older brother, was covered from head to toe with sand.

"You left him in the Sahara desert?"

I looked at Shadow.

"You would've too, if you had known what he said!"

"What'd he say?"

"Go ahead, tell her, Shadow."

"I'd really rather not say."

I was perplexed by Shadow's behavior.

"Okay, whatever."

I put Stella down.

"Hey! Who's your…?"

"Friend? Yeah. Xipho meet Stella, Stella meet Xipho. Intro over. So…"

I turned around.

"Where the heck is everybody?"

"On the ship, why?"

Shadow wasn't looking at me.

He was looking at the sky probably trying to crack this mystery.

"Stella still has others to meet."

"The ship is about one kilometer that way."

Shadow pointed to my right.

"Ya know what, I'll go with. I need to look up somethin' on my pc."

Shadow, Stella and I headed off.

I could hear a bit of mumbling in the background.

I only caught a few words.

"But I don't want to leave you…"

Knux.

"Go on. I need a spy."

Tikal.

"I need someone I trust with my sister."

Sonic.

"HEY GUYS, WAIT UP!"

Knux hollered.

When we got to the ship we found that it was utter chaos.

"Eek!"

Haley cried as a statue flew toward her head.

"Tails!"

Cream's eyes showing intense hatred for the teenaged fox.

"What is it?"

Tails seemed quite annoyed.

"You almost hit Haley with that!"

Cream hollered.

"Oh, sorry Haley, I was aiming for Cream."

Haley ran off down the hallway to her room.

"What the crap is your freakin' problem!"

Maria looked at Knux.

"Yeah, she says freakin' and crap now."

Knux frowned.

"At least she doesn't say the things you say when you get mad."

Knux nudged Shadow.

"Again, you would've too if you knew what he had said."

"My problem is that I can't work with dodge balls flying right and left."

"A. IT WAS VOLLEYBALL! B. AT LEAST WE DIDN'T THROW A _STATUE_ AT YOU! Luckily you couldn't hit the broad side of a barn!"

"Say that to my face you big eared nuisance!"

"I AM saying it to your face!"

"What the heck?"

Stella said.

"Oh. We have company."

Cream stopped flying and picked up her volleyball.

"It seems we do."

Tails put down his laser.


	5. Black Doom

(I DON'T OWN SHADOW! SEGA DOES! SO STOP BOTHERING ME!)

"I'm uh, Cream."

Cream was eleven now and had obviously lost a teeny bit of her innocence.

"Sorry, we're not usually like this. I'm Tails."

Tails was a bit sweaty from fighting.

"I'm Stella."

She hopped out of my arms and sat down on the couch.

"I'm thirsty. Who's up for shakes?"

I called.

"ME!"

The ship vibrated.

Tails, Stella, and Cream played volleyball with a beach ball.

"Ah, love the moolat'e in the mornin'"

I said finishing my last bit of cappuccino.

"But it's 5 min. 'till 6 p.m."

Knux glanced down at his watch.

"Shh! She doesn't need to know that! Let her live in her own world. That's what the therapist said!"

Shadow whispered and then started to laugh.

"Watch out!"

Cream called.

The beach ball slammed straight into Shadow's head.

"Agh!"

He grimaced and lurched forward dropping his shake.

"Shadow!"

When Shadow looked up his face was mere centimeters away from mine.

"Maria? Could you get our ball?"

I couldn't hear them.

At that moment all I knew was Shadow.

Shadow touched my cheek.

"Maria..."

I touched Shadow's lips.

"Shadow..."

Every exhale he made filled my lungs.

"Maria?"

Cream looked at me awkwardly.

"Maria!"

Knux sounded a bit panicked.

I snapped out of it.

"Oh, yeah ball right."

I got the ball and served it to Cream.

I looked back at Shadow, my heart was racing.

"Um... are you okay?"

I didn't know what else to say.

"I could be better."

Shadow replied hesitantly.

I gave Knux a worried glance.

Knux sent one back in reply.

"What did you just almost do?"

Knux whispered.

"I don't know but part of me wishes I had done it."

I glanced downwards.

Stella called a timeout and came over to sit next to me.

"What was up with that?"

She seemed worried.

"Nothing, I just, caught in the moment that's it. I was caught in the moment."

My excuse was lame but she took it.

"Did you get that?"

Cream whispered to Tails.

My ear twitched.

"Yeah, it's all on tape."

Tails smiled.

He turned and saw me.

He turned completely white and ran off.

"So, you had to look something up on the computer?"

I decided changing the subject was the best.

"Yeah, I'd better leave."

I didn't want him to leave.

"Y-you don't have to, if you don't want!"

I cried.

"Desperate much?"

Jwan entered the room.

"Jwan!"

I stood up.

"Hey, Tails wants to see you!"

Cream looked a bit mischievous.

"Be back."

Jwan winked.

"Uh, well, see ya."

Shadow smiled at me.

'_No wait!'_

'_Come back!'_

'_Let me do that over!'_

'_Don't leave!'_

I almost followed Shadow out the door.

"It's like every time he walks away he's never coming back."

I whispered to myself.

"Don't go."

I said plopping into my seat.

"It's alright."

Stella said pulling on my arm.

"I'll go check up on him."

I smiled as she left.

"What does she mean by that?"

Knux said.

"Wait up! I'll help!"

Cream rushed off down the hallway.

(With Cream & Stella)

They peeked into Shadow's room.

The lights were off and Green Day was turned up so loud the floor was shaking.

They tiptoed into the room.

Shadow's computer read:

Okay, she's here, what do I do?

There was a pause.

Then letters popped up.

Well, has anything happened yet?

Not really, I got smacked in the head with a beach ball and I almost… kissed her.

You almost kissed her! You call that not really!

I'm sorry! I can't do this. Kiss her I mean. She's never kissed anyone before. I don't want to offend her.

Well, when you almost kissed her what did she do?

She touched my lips, why?

Dude, she totally digs you! Go for it! Tell her you love her!

What? No way! I'm logging off. Later, _Dad._

"Dad?" The two thought.

"Black Doom!" Cream gasped.

Shadow's ear twitched but he didn't turn around.

He then opened up the case file.

They snuck out of the room and ran straight to me.

"What'd he do?"

I said curiously.

"He was talking…"

Stella said breathlessly.

"To Black Doom!"

Cream finished for her.

"How do you know?"

I asked.

"He called him dad."

Cream was obviously as confused as I was.

I began to fade.

My power over all elements makes me turn into darkness when I'm confused.

"What did he talk to him about?"

My fur was vanishing before my very eyes.

"You."

Stella said.

I was completely gone at that point.

"I'll ask no more questions."

The air seemed to be talking.

"Best left that way."

Cream giggled.

I became visible.

"Hi Maria."

Haley walked in.

"15. You're so grown up. It makes me feel old."

I was stunned.

She was the most beautiful echidna I'd ever seen.

I can remember Tikal calling me and Dad rushing me to the hospital to see Tikal's niece.

I never really realized she'd been growing up.

I definitely didn't think she'd look like this.

"Good, you are old."

Haley saw a bent up cup and melting shake all over the floor.

"How'd that happen?"

Jwan had just gotten back.

"Go to Tails, he'll tell ya."

Haley left.

"So you're just gonna leave that on the floor?"

Jwan stared down at the mess.

"Yeah, pretty much."

I muttered.

"'Kay."

Jwan took the seat next to mine.

"So things are going fine between you and Shadow, I presume?"

"Ask his dad."

I was uncomfortable with Shadow telling aliens about me.

"Who?"

Jwan wasn't following.

"Black Doom."

I wasn't looking at anything in particular but wherever I had been looking, my head was fixed in that position.

"The alien dude?"

Jwan leaned back in her chair.

"Uh huh. Apparently Shadow's biological father."

"So you mean to tell me you're in love with the spawn of aliens!"

I gave her a disgusted look.

"I didn't say anything of the sort!"

"Heh."

Jwan smiled.

If it had been a manga she'd be the one with the tear drop on her head.

"I'm not alien spawn."

I fell out of my chair.

"You scared the heck out of me!"

I fixed my hair and got back in my seat.

Shadow stifled a laugh.


	6. Loyalty

(I don't own Sonic. I don't know what idiotic psycho would think I do, but I don't.)

"What!"

I glared at him.

"You've become girlier than I thought."

Shadow smiled.

"What do you mean, girlier!"

I clenched my fists.

"You fixed your hair before you sat up."

"So, at least I didn't strand my brother in the Sahara."

I sneered.

"Ugh! I was yelling at him 'cause he tripped me. Eventually he and I started to fight. When insulting me he said 'At least I'm not in love with a…' He cursed you out. So I sorta tackled him and um, well, we don't really need to go into detail do we?"

Shadow was starting to sweat.

"If it makes you uncomfortable you don't have to say anything else."

I looked at him with an expression full of understanding.

"No way. You have to keep going, comfortable or not."

Knux didn't usually show compassion for anyone but if it was Shadow compassion was non-existent.

"Well, I tackled him and punched him for um, a while I guess. I screamed, 'one more chance, take it back!' He disagreed. So I strangled him. He still had a slight grin on his face. So out came the heavy artillery."

"Ooh, I know!"

Stella raised her hand even though it did her no good to do so.

"Chaos Control!"

Stella giggled.

"Maria always loved telling me that part."

Everyone looked at me.

I sunk into my seat.

"It'd be nice if you'd stop telling them about my personal life."

"Heh, sorry Maria."

Stella blushed in embarrassment.

"Anyway. At that point there wasn't a trace of enjoyment on his face whatsoever. I picked him up by the collar…"

Knux interrupted.

"Lemme guess, 'Don't you ever even look at Maria again, got it?' Am I right?"

Shadow nodded.

Knux felt proud of himself, I'm not exactly sure why.

"You didn't have to do that."

I said but was sure I'd do the same for him if I didn't almost kill them with my bare hands.

"I know. I couldn't help it. I curse enough when I'm angry but I wouldn't curse out anyone I didn't know."

A thought occurred to me.

I almost smacked myself for ever thinking Shadow of such a thing, but I couldn't help but ask.

"Did you say something bad about Breeze?"

"Well, yeah, but I didn't curse her out. Besides, what does that have to do with you?"

I nearly cried.

'_He doesn't love you back.'_

"Shadow, In Xipho's world Shadow is to Xipho as Maria is to Breeze."

"But you're not…"

Shadow began.

"I know but I'm you're friend. I'm seen as a weak spot of yours. Look, being a loyal friend to me doesn't mean you have to kill your brother. It just means be there."

I looked away.

Shadow bit back the urge to punch me.

"Whatever."

Shadow's hand moved to shove me as he walked out but he stopped it.

I was so close to crying.

I didn't want Shadow to kill anyone because of me but now Shadow thinks I don't appreciate what he did.

"Way to go, jerk."

Cream's innocence was down the toilet as of that moment.

"He looked really hurt, Maria."

Stella looked at me.

The other two girls had gone to help Shadow cool off.

There was a pause.

"Maria, can you speak?"

All my energy was going into trying not to cry.

I couldn't even shake my head.

"Maria, are you okay?"

Stella's voice began to get panicky.

"Maria, can you open your eyes?"

My body started to shake.

"Maria, are you okay?"

Stella nearly shouted.

(Meanwhile)

"Shadow, that was really jerky of Maria."

Cream's eyes were wide and full of fear.

"I'm sure she didn't mean it."

Jwan always stuck to the positives.

"Mean what?"

Shadow was acting like nothing had happened.

"That she didn't appreciate what you'd done for her."

Jwan was a bit confused.

"Maria can be such a…"

Shadow picked Cream up be the ears and brought her face level to his.

"I will say this once. Don't. Insult. Maria."

Cream nodded.

Shadow dropped her.

"Maria, are you okay?"

Shadow heard Stella's voice and the words echoed through his body.

(With me)

My eyes opened and tears seemed to flow out of them like faucets.

"I don't freakin' care!"

I shouted.

"He can be hurt! He insulted Breeze! It's reason enough to be mad at him. He can go ahead and hate me all his life because I didn't appreciate his almost killing Xipho! I DON'T FREAKIN' CARE!"

I shouted at the top of my lungs.

'_That's not true.'_

'_I didn't mean any of that.'_

'_Sure, he had no reason to insult Breeze but I didn't want him to hate me.'_

'_I wanted just the opposite.'_

"I'm hic sorry."

I had lost my control over absolutely nothing.

Then again, so had Shadow.

We're even then.

Shadow rushed into the room flustered.

He was half worried and half enraged.

I had my back turned to him.

"Maria…"

He turned me around waiting to see my expression before he decided what to say.

"hic"

"Uh…"

He hadn't expected me to be crying.

"Sorry."

I smiled but continued to cry.

I thought to hug him but decided that that might just make Shadow guilty and I didn't want that.

"Uh…"

Shadow was absolutely dumbfounded.

"I'm fine now."

I knew he'd come in because of my screaming.

"Uh… good."

Shadow stepped back.

Cream rushed in.

"Shadow, don't do tha… whoa. What happened to you?"

Cream looked at me.

"Mood swings."

Stella sang.

"Hee."

I giggled wiping of the left side of my face with my sleeve.

Shadow cocked his head to the side confused.

Then he smiled.

"Typical."

He chuckled and walked out the door.

"Lucky for you, he understands."

Knux was reminding me that I shouldn't push my luck like that again.

"Yeah, mentally impaired, like me."

I laughed tucking my hair behind my ear.

Stella, Haley, Jwan, Knux, Shadow and I left the ship intending to take a few things up with the gang.

When we arrived it was 10:00 p.m.

"So…"

Xipho smiled but it wasn't his usual kind one.

"What's up?"

"You looked at her."

Shadow grumbled.

"Huh?"

"You looked at Maria when she introduced you to Stella."

"So?"

Xipho obviously didn't think Shadow had told me what happened.

"So… I told you not to look at her."

"Whatcha gonna do 'bout it?"

Xipho challenged.

"Nothing."

I answered for Shadow.

I pulled Shadow off to the side.

"If you kill Xipho then Breeze will kill you and I'm not gonna be killin' Breeze anytime soon."

Shadow sighed.

"Okay. Leave Xipho alone for both our sakes. Got it."

Shadow turned to leave.

'_It'd also leave me boyfriend less.'_

'_Will you shut up already!'_

"Hey, um… I've decided to be um… anti-p-p-punk."

Amy's voice was the highest it's been in years.

"But Amy! You've been a punk for so long!"

I was taken aback.

"I know but… I didn't like it and ya know, I am so sorry for all the mean things I said."

She was shaking a bit.

I was afraid she might self destruct in T minus ten and counting.

Then she giggled.

She turned around, looked at Sonic, winked at me, and ran up and hugged Sonic.

"Ack!"

Amy had gotten a lot stronger over the years as well as more responsible and better looking.

Sonic was being crushed in her soft pink arms.

She let go and Sonic dropped to the ground.


	7. Here's Johnny!

(I DON'T OWN SONIC!)

"Amy? Are you feeling alright?"

Sonic stuttered.

"I'm feeling fine, why?"

"What happened to your voice within the last three seconds?"

"I got it back to normal."

Amy smiled.

"Amy's back!"

I cheered.

Everyone else cheered along with.

Amy had always picked the team up when they were feeling down but when she hit age 14 she turned punk.

I'm not exactly sure why.

Without her there wasn't a hint of cheery bright although moderately creepy happiness left.

Tails is constantly in his workshop.

Cream is… well, you met Cream.

"So… are you gonna rejoin the team?"

Sonic's voice showed he was desperate to have her back.

He missed her always being there for him.

She is in fact his Best Friend.

"As long as you stay on the team!"

She rocked back and forth on her heels.

"Wow. Is this what you've been hiding the last three years?"

Sonic was still in awe of her sudden change of heart.

"Of course, don't you recognize it?"

"Not really."

Sonic looked down.

"Well, that's okay."

Amy picked him up.

"We'll have new memories to build now."

She and Sonic spent that night talking.

"So… do you think the debris wave had anything to do with it?"

Shadow and I were leaned up against a large rock.

Stella had fallen asleep on my shoulder.

We were trying to crack the missing people code.

The next day I woke up my head was on Shadow's chest and my arm was around Stella.

I shifted into more comfortable position.

Moved Shadow's hair out of his eyes, held Stella a bit more securely and closed my eyes.

"Have shame."

I sat bolt upright waking up Shadow.

"Hm? I'm up!"

Shadow said yawning and rubbing his eyes.

Ogwa looked me in the eyes and shook her head.

"Snuggling up to Shadow."

She shook her head again.

"They don't look bad together when you really think about it."

Carlos said.

"I can't tell if you're being nice or not."

I looked at Carlos suspiciously.

"He's being nice, believe me."

Carly rolled her eyes.

"Aw… who's the little one?"

Roxxi pointed at Stella.

Petite didn't say anything she was putting on her fourth coat of lipstick.

I'm surprised if anyone has ever seen her actual face.

I didn't want to tell Roxxi who Stella was without Stella ever seeing Roxxi.

"Little star, wake up, hon."

I whispered in her ear.

"Don't tell me this is your adoptive child!"

Ogwa exclaimed.

I threw my shoe at her.

"Mm? What's up Maria? Where's Shadow?"

"Doesn't she mean dad?"

Carlos said.

I glared at him.

"Shadow's right here. I want you to meet Roxxi."

Roxxi smiled.

"Cool! She has fangs too!"

Stella was really excited.

Shadow had fallen asleep again.

"Steak sauce has been hunted to extinction."

I whispered in his ear.

"Not the Steak Sauce!"

Shadow screamed and woke up.

"You're gonna have to stop doing that one point."

He glared.

"Maybe later."

I giggled.

"Eek!"

Ogwa hid behind Carlos.

"Sh-she giggled."

Ogwa wasn't kidding, she was actually scared.

"Hey, Maria and Shadow's kid, does she do that a lot?"

Carlos said looking at Stella.

"Me? I only wish I were Maria and Shadow's kid, but I'm not."

I looked at her annoyed.

"What?"

I rolled my eyes.

"What do ya want?"

I asked impatiently.

"Touchy."

Carlos mocked.

"We wanted to ask you a few questions about the debris storm yesterday."

Ogwa got out from behind Carlos.

"But then we saw you getting comfy with Shadow!"

She spat his name as though it tasted bad.

"And you had to wake me up."

I mumbled.

"You weren't asleep, though."

Ogwa said.

I threw my remaining shoe at her.

"I think she's saying shut up."

Roxxi looked at Ogwa.

"Oh. Sorry."

Ogwa hadn't yet grasped the concept of most things that are illogical.

"We really don't know much about the debris storm at all."

I admitted.

"That's what we were talking about last night before we fell…"

"In love?"

Carlos suggested.

"Into a black hole?"

Ogwa piped up.

"In a pool?"

Carly laughed.

Roxxi opened her mouth but Shadow stopped her.

"Asleep."

He said bluntly.

My jeans vibrated and everyone could faintly hear the melody of "I am."

"Ooh! That's one of Shadow's theme songs! Maria knows it by heart!"

If there was a Maria/Shadow trivial pursuit game you wouldn't want to go up against Stella.

I blushed and answered my cell phone.

"Hello?"

"WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU?

I took my ear away from the phone.

"I STAYED UP ALL NIGHT WAITING FOR YOU TWO TO COME HOME!"

Breeze screamed.

"Hi, Breeze."

Shadow said.

"I should've guessed."

I could see her shaking her head and sighing.

"I'll come home immediately."

I said.

"No, I'll come to you. I need to beat the crap out of Shadow personally."

"See you soon."

I said.

Breeze hung up.

I looked at Shadow.

"Man, would I hate to be you."

I patted him on the shoulder.

"I'll pray for you."

"You came over here because of Shadow?"

Ogwa said.

"No, not exactly."

My face became flushed.

"She came here 'cause I wanted to see Shadow."

Stella smiled.

"Hey! Maria! What're you doin' here?"

Not him.

"It couldn't be. Johnny?"

I moaned.

"Well, now a day they call me "The Johnster." But hey, I can change just for you, baby."

"Who is this guy?"

Shadow's fists were clenched and he began to get up.

I pulled him back down.

"No reason to get angry, Shadow. It's just…Johnny."

I shuddered.

"He's my ex-next door neighbor. And I prefer to keep it that way."

"Who are your new friends?"

"Meet, Ogwa, Roxxi, Carlos, Petite, Carly, Stella, and Shadow."

I pointed as I named them off.

"His name's Shadow?"

Johnny laughed.

"Nice name."

Shadow almost yanked his wrist out of my grip.

"Um. We ought to go."

I stood and picked up Stella.

I motioned for the Dawgz to come with.

"Oh, come on, you're not going to leave me here are you?"

Johnny ran up in front of me.

"Ya know what, actually I am."

I pushed him out of the way and let go of Shadow's wrist giving him full reign to pound Johnny's guts out.

He started to walk behind us and I sighed.

I elbowed Shadow.

"Could you take care of him?"

Shadow nodded cracking his knuckles.

"Don't make it too bloody."

I smiled.

I didn't mean to.

I seemed so evil.

I turned and looked at Johnny.

I didn't regret it.

Stella giggled and hugged me.

I picked her up and hugged her back.


	8. The horror that is

(I DO NOT OWN SONIC AND COMPANY! They are owned by Sega and Sonic Team.)

Shadow dragged Johnny off to the side.

"I almost wanna see him get ripped to shreds."

My fangs showed a little more that usual.

"Hey Guys! It's such a surprise to see you! Well, I guess it's not. But Hi!"

I turned around to see Rouge.

"Whoa."

Rouge stopped running toward us and stared at Stella.

"Who's that?"

Stella looked at me.

Stella may be 14 but she's always kept the same sort of innocence a 4 year old has.

"Hi, Rouge what's up?"

Rouge walked the rest of the way.

"Who's the kid?"

Rouge looked at Stella.

I had been holding her.

(She's a few feet small for her age.)

I put Stella down.

"I'm Stella!"

Stella was cheery and bright.

"I never expected your kid to be so optimistic. You adopted I see. So where's Shadow?"

"What! Why does everyone think she's my kid!"

"Well, she's Shadow's too, I would assume."

"No! She has parents! I'm just her team leader!"

"But why were you holding her?"

"Because her legs were tired."

"All of me is tired."

Stella grumbled.

I heard laughter.

I looked at Shadow and Johnny.

"She wouldn't tell anyone to get rid of me! She's my girl, my main squeeze ya know?"

Johnny was blabbering on about his annoying fantasy life.

"Maria isn't anyone's anything."

Shadow only glared.

"She told me to get rid of you and that's what I'm gonna do."

"Who's that guy?"

Rouge looked at Johnny in utter hatred.

"Meet the horror that is Johnny."

I rolled my eyes.

"Will you leave?"

Shadow asked directly.

"No."

Johnny replied.

"All right."

Shadow took hold of Johnny's arm and twisted it.

"Agh! Dude, what was that for?"

Johnny shrieked.

"Will you leave now?"

"No!"

Shadow smacked Johnny's head up against the rock next to them.

I giggled.

Stella looked up at me.

"What's with the giggle?"

Rouge smiled.

"I can't help but laugh when I see him get hurt. One time he fell off his bike and twisted his ankle and I couldn't tell his mom 'cause every time I got started I start laughing hysterically."

"Will you leave now?"

"I'll leave Maria alone if that's what you mean."

Shadow looked at me.

I was laughing remembering the bike incident.

I couldn't talk so I just gave Shadow a thumbs up.

"Okay."

Shadow came over.

"Hey Rouge."

"Hi Shadow."

"Good times."

I wiped tears from my eyes.

"So… we're gonna go find the rest of our caravan. Wanna join us?"

I said regaining my sanity.

"Ah, what the heck. Sure."

Rouge joined us although she and Petite glared at each other the whole time.

I left Shadow and Johnny to become acquainted with one another.

(With Shadow)

"So… you're Maria's boyfriend?"

Johnny asked.

"What! No!"

Shadow looked away so Johnny couldn't see him blush.

"Oh. Well I'm her next door neighbor."

Johnny smiled.

"You mean, you were her next door neighbor."

"What do you mean were?"

"Maria's not moving back. She lives with the Black Hearts. She has an obligation to her team."

"Oh. Well then. I guess I'm her nothing. But that's okay. I know her anyway."

"Hey, Maria. Could Stella come back here with me for a sec?"

I looked at him coldly.

"What do you want with Stella? Best Friend of not, I don't trust you with my youngest."

"And you ask why everyone thinks you're her mom? You just called her your youngest."

I looked down at Stella.

Stella looked up and smiled at me.

"You can trust Shadow, Maria. Remember the time there was nothing on TV and you and Breeze started talking about TV mom's and how stupid they were. You said Shadow's great with kids and that he would make a wonderful father."

"I did not!"

"Yes you did, I remember!"

"You're not supposed to be eavesdropping on my conversations with Breeze."

I grumbled.

Shadow was giving me the "I can only hope that's not true" look.

"Alright, you can have her."

I let go of Stella.

Shadow picked her up.

"If it makes ya feel better, I'll buy her some ice cream when the ice cream man comes around."

I gave Shadow a dirty look but couldn't help myself from getting in the last line.

"Make sure tuck her in at night."

Shadow laughed.

When I faced forward again I found Rouge was smiling brightly at me.

"No comment…please."

I groaned.

"Alright… oh, come on let me say it."

"No."

"… You forgot to tell him her bedtime."

She said really fast laughing directly afterwards.

"Sorry."

Rouge flipped her hair.

"You'd better be."

I snarled.

We caught up with the group about ten minutes later.

"Carlos!"

Jwan screeched.

She ran up and kissed him on the cheek.

Shadow leaned over.

"Doesn't it sicken you?"

He whispered in my ear.

"Well, only that they only knew each other for a few months before going out."

I whispered back.

"It's not that bad."

Rouge glared at me.

"You're so strict about everything. Look at you. You're 21 and you haven't had your first kiss. You deny ever liking anyone. Anyone."

"So I'm picky. At least I don't have to feel my heart shatter every two seconds."

Yeah, that right there was my worst excuse ever.

"I wouldn't be sure about that. You look heart broken quite a lot."

Rouge raised an eyebrow.

"I need to talk with you."

My angry little brother grabbed my arm and dragged over to a tree.

"Why are we talking under a tree?"

I asked, admiring the apples that grew on it.

"I don't know we just are. Tails showed me a tape of what happened yesterday."

"So?"

"So, you almost kissed Shadow."

I looked around and found there wasn't a single thing in the world that could possibly explain that.

"So?"

I said again but this time my voice was softer.

"SO!"

I was that I controlled fire not him.

"Maria. You know I don't trust Shadow. With anything. At all."

The sky darkened and it began to rain.

(Sonic's power is weather)

"I know. But, I do. You'll see, he's not that bad a guy."

I twiddled my thumbs.

"Maria. If he breaks your heart I'll rip his out."

I smiled.

Sonic had never been so much like a brother.

"You won't have to. I know what I'm doing."

Although the truth was, I had absolutely no idea what I was getting into.

It's stated to rain harder.

I gave my little brother a hug.

"How 'bout some chilly dogs for lunch?"

"That sounds good."

That's about as close as it gets to him thanking me.

So we had an indoor cookout.

Or, um, in I guess,

I went to see if my room still existed.

Sure enough it did.

I sat down on my four post bed.

"Boo."

Stella walked in.

"Eek, a monster."

I wasn't even looking at her.

"You could at least act like you're scared."

Stella came and sat down next to me.

"Sorry, just lost in thought.'

"A lot of memories here?"

"More than you know."

Hey, the few people who read this. I have a movie I'm making with my friends and I have a script that I am totally not done with. It takes place two years before this. I could post it if you wanted.


	9. Breeze Came

(I don't own sonic. I don't want to be sued. I really don't want to be ripped apart by SEGA and Sonic Team.)

"First mission, first spaceship, first getaway from mom, first crush…"

I looked to my aquarium.

No fish resided there any more.

All sold.

"Moe, Larry, Curly, even Lucy. All sold."

"I'm gonna guess those were your fish."

"Yeah."

I bowed my head in sorrow.

"Even Lucy."

I sighed.

"Well, now you have me."

Stella smiled.

"Yes I do. And I wouldn't trade you for the world."

I hugged her.

"I brought the ice cream."

Shadow intruded upon our motherish/daughterish moment.

"Thanks da…"

"Call him dad and I will hurt you."

"Okay. Shadow."

We took our drumsticks gladly.

"Remember when you had that nightmare?"

Shadow was leaning up against a bed post.

"The one where you died?"

"And you woke up screaming, crying, and sweating all at the same time?"

"Uh huh. I remember that."

"Ya know, before you came along Maria cared for Tiavinah like she does for you now."

Shadow said waving his drumstick at Stella.

"Except she was always much more curious. Mainly curious about Shadow. That's why she knew so much about him when you asked."

It was odd sitting there talking about the past with Shadow and Stella.

But I sorta liked it.

"She used to be pretty shy, not as shy as you, but shy none the less."

Shadow had a bit of ice cream running down his chin.

"You got a bit of shmooca on your chin."

I pointed.

"Shmooca?"

Shadow said, wiping off the ice cream.

"Yeah, shmooca, gunk, stuff. It all means the same thing."

I shrugged.

"Does it now? I've never heard that word before."

"Oh, come on. You must have. I say it all the time."

"It's true."

Stella vouched.

"Well not around me. I've never heard it before."

"Whatever you say."

I finished my ice cream and licked off my fingers.

"So… what else happened here?"

Stella had to know everything about Shadow and I.

Even if it killed us.

"No more. It's 1:00 p.m. If we start talking about that again we won't stop until it's 11:00 p.m. Breeze wouldn't appreciate that."

I got up and left.

The two followed me.

"Hi, Maria."

I stopped.

Stella slammed into me and Shadow slammed into Stella.

We fell like dominoes.

"Johnny."

I said resentfully picking myself up off the floor.

"What do you want?"

I gave him a glare that could turn people to stone.

"I… don't know."

"Then MOVE!"

I shoved him out of the way.

"Breeze is here!"

I heard Haley scream.

"Shadow! Run!"

Haley laughed spitefully.

"Hey, Breeze."

I leaned up against the doorway wall.

"Come on in."

Breeze saw Shadow.

"One moment."

Shadow took off running and Breeze ran after him.

Stella ran to go watch.

_5…4…3…2…1!_

"And he's down!"

Stella called.

Breeze came back.

"Hey there."

Breeze was smiling brightly.

"Heh. I'd tell you what's up but you probably do want hear it."

"Go on, tell me."

"Nah. You don't wanna know."

"Just tell me."

"No."

"Tell me. I wanna know!"

Works every time.

I smiled.

"Okay. People have gone missing and if they come back they can't remember who they are or anything. They all have A-shaped scars on their backs. Yesterday there was debris wave that's causing a bit of suspicion. Everyone thinks Shadow and I are Stella's foster parents but that's about it. Oh, and Johnny's back."

"Isn't that the kid who fell off his bike and twisted his ankle and you couldn't tell his mom 'cause you kept laughing so I had to tell her?"

"Yeah, that's Johnny. Oh, wait, now a day he's called"

I paused for emphasis.

"The Johnster."

I rolled my eyes.

"Same old Johnny."

"Hey, Maria, what's this?"

I ran to my room to find Stella on my computer.

"Born of fire powered by rage."

I put my hand over her mouth and turned off the computer.

"There are some private things on that song, lil' star. Best they stay private."

"Oh, I already read the song. I even pressed the listen button down at the bottom."

"Well Breeze would kill me for what I have put down on that song."

"But it's not about Breeze, it's about Shadow…s. Shadows 'cause they like, scare you at night and stuff."

Stella ran off.

I smacked my head on the computer desk until I thought I would pass out.

"Come, sit with me, tell me about your fear of Shadow, I mean Shadows."

"I don't care whose kid she is, if she let Shadow read that she's grounded for the rest of eternity… and then some. So… did you bring your wolf?"

Breeze has a wolf.

She's scary like that.

"No but I should've. I could've had her maul Johnny."

"I would've enjoyed watching that."

I smiled at the thought.

"EVERYONE HOLD ON TO SOMETHING!"

Amy screamed at the top of her lungs.

So I grabbed my bed.

Breeze was on my bed to she didn't think it mattered much.

WHOOSH!

The whole ship rocked.

"What in the…!"

I screamed.

About two seconds later the storm ended.

I ran to go find Stella.

On my way out the door I said,

"Come on, Breeze."

I found Stella clinging tightly to Shadow.

I picked her up.

She getting all the attention a 3 year old would.

I didn't mind giving her parental protection and attention.

I rather enjoyed it.

In fact, I might as well have been her mother.

Her parents shipped her off to school when she was 3.

Stella went to boarding pre-school, elementary school, and Middle school.

Then Breeze and I found her and took her in.

But that's good 'cause she has an element too…death.

"Nice song Maria."

Shadow smiled slyly.

"Tell me two lines from it."

I knew he hadn't heard it.

"I am Maria controller of fire; I have always been yon passing liar."

I kicked him.

"Ow!"

Then he started laughing.

"Does…"

Stella started.

"Yes, he does that a lot."

I grumbled.

"We get that all the time."

Breeze said shaking her head.

(Is it too girly? Please, I'd like to know. I need a bit more feed back. Well, more like want I don't really _need_ it but want sounds mean. And if my friends have read this and they haven't reviewed they will pay for that with their lives.)


	10. Alpha

(I don't own sonic and the gang. SEGA and Sonic Team do. Please don't any of my characters without my consent.)

(Fics are like my life so I'll update almost everyday.)

"Hey guys, come look!"

Cream had regained happiness and love for all living things.

We rushed to see what she was talking about.

On Tail's large computer monitor was a gigantic A.

"What is it?"

Several of us asked.

"The debris waves we have been experiencing here are happening through out the world.

They leave a large ditch in the ground; they seem to be spelling something."

He zoomed out revealing other letters.

"Alpha…"

We all whispered it as though one voice.

"What could that mean?"

Amy said putting her hand on Tail's shoulder.

"I don't know."

The two looked at Sonic.

Sonic looked at me.

I looked at Shadow.

Shadow looked down in despair.

"Me neither."

Shadow shrugged.

The screen suddenly went static.

"Ha, ha, ha!"

The computer boomed.

"Heroes and former heroes on earth, I have a challenge for you that I am sure you will not turn down. I have all those that were not heroes dwelling on your pathetic planet. Unless you come and save them, they will all be mind wiped and so will you. I will begin my creation of the new earth directly after your utter defeat! You will never defeat me! Bwahaha! Just to keep you motivated I will give you live updates of your loved ones. This is the only channel. Radio waves will do you no good! Bwahaha!"

He stopped talking and ran a slide show of imprisoned people.

"Darren!"

Amy shrieked.

"Darren?"

I raised an eyebrow at Sonic.

"Darren."

Sonic growled.

"Darren's my boyfriend."

Amy said with the most concerned look on her face.

"Figures."

I looked at Sonic once more.

I saw mom.

"Hi, kids!"

She waved at the camera.

"I'm not sure if I wanna save 'em."

I crossed my arms.

"Your mom's really not that bad."

Shadow gave me a sincere look.

"You'd know wouldn't you, alien spawn?"

"Why are you calling me alien spawn!"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Because my dad is Black Doom?"

"Heck, no! 'Cause it gets on your nerves, duh!"

I laughed.

Shadow sighed.

"If it makes you happy I'll try to sort things out. But right now, we'd better get to trying to stop Alpha."

I went and got my guns.

My plan was to examine them and see how much damage they would do.

But I'd probably use my weaker ones the first time around, so I can check out what kind of equipment he has.

"If it makes you happy" the words kept ringing in Sonic's ears.

The very thought of his sister wanting to please Shadow sickened him.

"Nice!"

Shadow picked one of my guns up out of my pile.

"Put it down! That's my favorite!"

I snatched it away from him.

"It's like a hands free sniper. Best used for more important missions."

I looked at it fondly before putting on my arm and aiming at Shadow.

"Ha, ha, very funny, Maria."

He started to sweat.

"Come on stop it."

He whined.

I took it off and set it next to me.

"What's that one?"

He pointed.

"Ray 02, any one besides my self who picks it up will be stunned. If it's picked up twice in a row not by me it will blow up destroying everything with in a 100 mile radius."

He quickly pulled his hand away from it.

I giggled.

Sonic resisted the urge to beat the heck out of Shadow for making me giggle.

'_My sister doesn't giggle!'_

_He thought_

'_What has Shadow done to my sister!'_

His fists clenched.

"So… use the shotguns much?"

Shadow picked one up and shot a vase.

"Shadow!"

Cream glared.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist."

He handed it back to me.

"All the time, their best in a pair, that way you cover more ground and there's more ammo."

Sonic wished I would put the sniper back on and actually shoot Shadow this time.

I turned and saw the look on my perturbed brother's face.

"Are you okay, Sonic?"

I asked.

'_No.'_

_Sonic thought._

"Yeah, I'm fine."

He lied.

I sighed.

"You worry me sometimes. Come on sit next to me. Pick up a gun and shoot someone."

I smiled at Shadow.

"I'd love to."

He too looked at Shadow but he didn't smile.

"I think I'm gonna go to bed."

He sulked off.

"But it's only 3:00 p.m."

I whispered to myself.

"You want me to go make sure he's okay?"

Shadow said seeing the worry in my eyes.

"Would you?"

I watched Shadow leave.

I picked up my other shotgun and shot the vase right next to Cream.

"Maria!"

She squealed.

I smiled.

Shadow came back a few minutes later his ear cut a bit.

"So… what happened?"

I handed him a bandage.

"Oh, nothing, it's just that your brother's a total psycho!"

"What'd he do?"

"Well, I saw him sitting on his bed so I brought a chair over and sat down. I asked him if he was alright 'cause he didn't seem to be acting quite right lately. 'As long as every thing's peachy keen with you Shadow, honey', that was his answer. What the (BEEP) kinda answer is that!"

"Shadow, don't curse, it makes you seem so much more violent than you are."

The real reason I didn't want him swearing was because Cream was right behind us and she's already saying things I don't think an 11 year old should be saying, although I probably said the same things when I was her age.

"Well then I'm totally freaked out so I ask him, what he meant. 'Tell me! I don't even know who I am anymore! I don't have the same sister I started out with. I _definitely _don't have the same mom I started out with! I am left with nothing and it's your entire fault!' He had sat up now. I thought it might have been a bit of improvement. I asked him how it was my fault. 'You took her away!' he screamed. 'Your mom has been that way since I met her, okay?' was my reply. 'Maria!' he hollered. Then he tackled punched me. When I threw him off me he bit my ear! I barely made it out alive!"

I gave a small laugh.

"I think I know why he's being this way."

I brushed Shadow's bangs out of his eyes and kissed him on the cheek.

He turned scarlet.

I went to check up on Sonic.

He was waiting for Shadow with a bat.

No not Rouge.

"Oh, Maria, hey. I was sorta expecting…"

"Shadow? Yeah, I guessed so."

I took the bat away from Sonic and sat on the bed with him.

"Why do you hate Shadow?"

I pulled him closer to me.

He was reluctant to have this conversation again.

"He makes you giggle."

Sonic's eyes were full of misery.

"That's a good thing. It means I'm happy."

"I know, but, I don't want you to change."

"I won't, I'll always beat you into a fine pulp."

I said ruffling up his hair.

"Heh."

He, Sonic the Hedgehog, for the first time ever, hugged me.

"Thanks sis."

He buried his face in my shirt and cried.

Shadow stepped in quietly.

He smiled at me.

I smiled back.

"You're welcome lil' bro."


	11. Date

(I don't own Sonic; I'm still in school, why in your right mind would you think that? Idiot.)

"So you got things sorted out with Sonic?"

Shadow asked as I closed the door behind me.

"Yeah."

I said.

"You have this thing; I don't know what it is. You have a way of taking care of people. You're so good with words."

"Thanks."

I smiled wide.

It was as silent as a graveyard.

"Say something."

Shadow said.

I laughed.

"Okay, how about picking me up tonight at 8:00?"

I batted my eyes, fake flirting.

"What'd we do?"

Shadow laughed scratched the back of his head.

"Dinner."

I smiled in a way that would've had Knux laughing his fool head off.

In other words, it really seemed like I was flirting with Shadow.

"And we'd eat what?"

"A _real _man knows how to cook."

I got my face right up in front of his.

'_I guess she's not a real man.'_

'_Huh?'_

'_Say something!'_

'_Hello?'_

_This was all running through Shadow's head._

Shadow swallowed hard.

I backed up and looked at Shadow awkwardly.

"You okay?"

I asked.

"Uh, yeah."

Shadow was still a little freaked out.

"Did I take it too far?"

"No way. Feel free to do that again anytime."

Shadow was back to normal.

"It's a date then?"

I laughed quietly.

Obviously I was still kidding around.

"NO!"

Johnny jumped out from behind a corner and threw himself to the floor.

"You can't do this to me!"

"What are you talking about?"

I was now weirded out beyond all reason.

"Don't go out with Shadow!"

Johnny pleaded.

"I'm NOT!"

I stepped away from Shadow.

Shadow did too.

Our faces were distorted by the thought of going out.

"But you said…"

Johnny stood up.

"She was kidding."

Shadow said.

"Why…"

"'Cause that's what friends do, they kid around."

I gave him the filthiest look I could muster.

"But you looked like you meant it when you got in Shadow's face."

I looked at Shadow.

'_Is that why he freaked out?'_

Shadow shrugged.

"Well, I didn't. So, leave."

He stood there for a bit.

"Go on git."

I waved my hand, shooing him away.

He took one more look at me before turning and walking away.

"Heh. Johnny is… stupid. Look at that, we were just kidding around then Johnny had to come and make me feel all, uncomfy."

"Well, see you at 8."

Shadow laughed nervously.

I elbowed him.

"Don't be a heartbreaker."

I joked back.

Oddly enough I actually came and knocked at 8.

Ogwa was right behind me.

"So this by me again."

Ogwa is a cyborg.

The right side of her body was robotic.

She didn't understand how you could act like you were flirting to have fun.

"Later."

Shadow had just opened the door.

"Hey."

I smiled.

He laughed.

"See?"

I looked at Ogwa.

"No I don't."

"It's funny to act out something that will never happen."

I explained.

Shadow stopped laughing at my saying this.

"Come on in."

I stepped inside.

"Um… are you observing our "date"?"

He used air quotes.

"I guess."

She stepped inside.

It was unexpectedly clean.

"Go ahead and sit down."

He nodded towards the couch.

I went over and sat.

Ogwa decided she liked standing better.

He had a few pictures of me on a dresser.

His walls were black with flames.

I noticed a picture on his bed side table.

It was a picture of him and me laughing on a bench.

I picked it up and smiled.

I found another picture on the wall but this was of Xipho.

He was flipping Shadow off.

Shadow had even gone to the trouble of making his finger fuzzy.

I laughed.

I saw a dart board with Dee's picture on the bull's eye.

Ogwa had kept herself preoccupied by looking at what Shadow was typing.

He seemed to of been chatting with someone.

So, you two were kidding, flirting?

Uh huh.

And she really did show up at your room?

She brought Ogwa with her. We're gonna go eat with everyone else and talk.

So… how is this a date?

It's NOT!

Then, why are you telling me?

I don't know! You're no help anyway! Some dad!

Shadow turned off his computer and kicked it.

"Hey! You can't treat it like that!"

Ogwa pushed Shadow.

She knelt down next to the computer and stroked it.

"It's okay. All your gigabytes will be just fine."

She cooed.

"Okay…"

Shadow and I looked at her uncomfortably.

We were about to leave when something caught my eye.

"What's this?"

I said picking up a piece of paper.

"Nothing."

Shadow swiped it from me.

"It's you!"

Ogwa had stolen it from Shadow.

"Lemme see!"

I got behind Ogwa and looked at me.

"Wow…"

The picture of me was breath taking.

It was so life-like.

Shadow did make me to look much prettier than I really was.

"Gimme that!"

He yanked it away from Ogwa and shoved it in a drawer.

"Are we leaving or what?"

Ogwa and I looked at each other.

"I guess."

We answered as one.

I nudged Shadow.

"What?"

He whispered.

"I like the outfit you designed. You should see if someone will make it for you."

"You mean for you. I designed it for you."

"Well, I guess."

"Look, I'd have to give it to you. I have no Idea what I would do with a miniskirt."

I giggled.

Ogwa noticed we'd been talking.

She rolled her eyes.


	12. FIGHT

(I don't own Sonic. Sonic belongs to SEGA and Sonic Team.)

We all sat down at the table.

Xipho had made dinner.

"Hey! Where's my plate!"

Ogwa cried.

"Oh, I thought dogs were supposed to get table scraps."

Xipho said.

Ogwa glared at him.

"I was kidding. Here."

He handed Ogwa her plate.

"Mm. It's really good Xipho."

I said.

"I hate it."

Shadow pushed the plate off the table.

I stopped the plate from falling with my power over gravity but, since Shadow hated it so much, I decided to let the food fall.

(Tiavinah's element is Gravity)

"Shadow… please…"

Xipho threw something that smacked into Shadow's head.

Shadow stood up.

"FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!"

The table started to vibrate.

Breeze and I had to keep the plates from falling off.

"You wanna take this outside?'

Xipho challenged.

"After you."

Shadow accepted.

"Shadow!"

I stood up.

All the plates I was controlling fell.

"Ugh!"

I kicked the table over.

Breeze and I ran out with the rest of our group.

It was quite evenly matched.

"Come on Xipho!"

Breeze shouted.

Breeze is sorta Xipho's girlfriend.

I gave her a disgusted look.

Xipho, to my surprise, he started to win.

I burst into flames.

(Fire is solely my element)

(Even though Breeze also has powers all the elements she cannot control my elements)

I yanked Xipho off Shadow and pushed him the ground.

"Hey!"

Breeze yelled.

I picked Shadow up by the collar.

"Moron."

I threw him up against the ship and left.

I knew Shadow was busy smacking his head up against the ship because I could see a dent forming in the wall.

I had an urge to kick it.

I decided Shadow had had his punishment.

Breeze ran after me.

"What was up with that?"

She got right up next to me.

"Strangle that little boyfriend of yours…"

I grumbled.

"Well… if you do that I'll strangle Shadow."

"I'm sure you will anyway."

I rolled my eyes so that I was focused on the ceiling.

"Maybe, but then I'd have to strangle him twice."

She was in a good mood and I… I at that moment hated everyone and everything.

Of course, that's how I get when I'm on fire.

Once I was having a fight with my mom and I burnt up the table we were arguing over.

$1,000 up in flames.

Ha on mom.

Her money, not mine.

"Those two are always fighting! Did you know Shadow stranded Xipho in the Sahara 'cause Xipho called me a curse word?"

"He did? How sweet."

I gave her a dirty look.

"No, not sweet. Stupid. They're gonna kill each other!"

Shadow had just walked in but I didn't notice.

"So? Xipho's gonna win."

I glared at her.

"Oh, that would be bad for you."

Breeze finally got it.

"That is bad."

She sighed.

Shadow put his hand on my shoulder.

I spun around.

"Get away from me!"

I screamed.

"Yeah, you should know by now, touching Maria while she's in fire mode is bad."

Breeze said.

I sighed.

"It's you. Oh."

I said looking blankly at Shadow.

"Who were you expecting?"

Shadow said.

"Anyone but you."

"See? Don't touch in fire mode."

Breeze repeated.

"So…that's gonna be archived under worst date ever in your diary."

Shadow laughed.

"I don't have a diary."

I raised one of my eyebrows at him.

"So what do you store your secrets in…songs?"

"Yes. And poems. And from what I've heard you do too, so I'm not alone."

Shadow blushed.

"How would you…"

"I have my sources."

I said just as Stella ran up and hugged my legs.

"That was so cool, Maria!"

She giggled.

I went out of fire mode.

I picked her up.

"Was it?"

I said.

"You think her beating me up is cool?"

Shadow was shocked.

"Anyone, except Xipho, beating you up is cool."

I said.

I don't know why but I started playing with Stella's hair.

She giggled again.

Breeze looked at me and backed away a bit.

"I'll see you two later."

With that being said she ran to her room.

Xipho came in.

"What was up with that!"

He screamed in my face.

Stella held me tighter and buried her face in my hair.

"Hey! Your scaring Stella!"

Shadow yelled getting between Stella and me.

"Shadow…no."

I said handing Stella to him.

"If anyone's gonna scare Stella they take it up with me."

"So? What's your answer?"

Xipho asked.

"You and Shadow obviously have some conflicts to sort out but when you get Breeze, Stella, and me involved in them you've gone too far. I don't know why you two are fighting maybe it's a brother thing but I don't care! I am _Shadow's_ friend, not yours. I'm gonna stick up for him. He has an advantage, so if you're gonna get me involved, don't mess with Shadow."

"I have Breeze."

"Somehow, I don't see her ever sticking up for your sorry butt."

"Neither do I!"

Breeze hollered from within her room.

"Lastly, don't scare Stella."

I burnt his arm.

"Agh!"

I took Stella back from Shadow.

Kissed Shadow on the cheek and said.

"I'm gonna be in my room with Stella for the rest of the night."

I left.

"So… if you're such good friends with Shadow why'd you hurt him too?"

Stella asked.

"Because he's was being stupid."

"And he understands that was why you hurt him?"

"Uh huh."

"So…why'd you tell him we'd be in here?"

"He's gonna open the door to talk to me in approximately 4 seconds."

4 seconds later.

Shadow opened the door,

"Knock, knock."

He said.

"Who's there?"

I answered.

"Daddy!"

Stella screamed.

"Daddy who!"

I went on.

"Daddy's here."

Shadow concluded.

"Uh, uh. You are NOT her "Daddy." I take care of her."

I grabbed Stella.

"I do too."

He said.

"Hardly."

I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Alright she's yours. Ya know it's decided if ya stick your tongue out."

Shadow sat down with Stella and me.

"Hey! You have a pool! Like water pool I mean!"

Stella said.

"Something tells me you didn't bring your bathing suit."

I looked at her.

"You'd be surprised what I pack."

She smiled.

"Maybe later."

I laughed.


	13. Chao chaos

(I don't own Sonic and the gang. They belong to SEGA and Sonic Team. I most definitely don't own Bo Bice.)

I turned on the radio.

"As long as you're who I'm with

Praise you with my dyin' breath

Pull my heart out of my chest

Gosh I'd do anything."

"Oh my gosh I love this song!"

I squealed.

"Why? It's Bo Bice."

Shadow looked at me.

"You hate Bo Bice."

"Not anymore I don't!"

I sang along.

"Listen to the lyrics."

Stella said.

"I'd open every car door

I won't go out anymore

I'll even eat off the floor

Gosh I'd do anything at all

I'll be there to catch you right when you fall

I'll be there as long as you tell me when

I'll be there until eternity ends

You know why

Cuz you're worth everything"

"What about it?"

Shadow said.

"Well, doesn't it remind you of um, you?'

Stella asked.

"How would it remind me of me?"

Shadow said perplexed.

"Side by side forever

We'll be together

It keeps getting better

Through the desert

I would laugh in the face of danger

I'll be your lone ranger

And you'll be my angel

As we wave goodbye

And ride into the sunset

Some things we ain't done yet

And prove to the world our love will never die at all"

"Well Maria likes it because it reminds her of you."

Stella said.

"Stop that!"

I said.

Shadow laughed.

"The desert part is the only comparison I can possibly make."

Stella gasped.

"Maria's worth everything to me!"

"You're not getting a bigger cut of the profits."

"Crap!"

Shadow took a moment to soak it all in.

"Oh. I guess it's kinda like me."

"No. It's not. Stella's just a liar."

I glared at her.

"But you told me yourself…"

"No I didn't."

"But…"

"No buts, you're a liar. Give it up."

Stella rolled her eyes.

"I still like it though."

I said.

I sat down next to Shadow.

I leaned over and smiled.

Shadow looked around.

He saw no pictures.

My walls were black in some places and a deep red in others.

He went over to my book shelf.

"Ghosts I Have Been" By Richard Peck.

"Things Not Seen" By Andrew Clements

"Charlotte Doyle" By Avi

The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

(I am so obsessed with Harry Potter you don't even want to know)

"Oh my gosh, I'm almost sure Shadow's looking at this right now" By Maria Hedgehog.

He picked it up, and flipped through it.

Dear me,

I can't stand Shadow! I hate his stupid Ultimate Lifeform guts! He's a total jerk! Even to his ex-girlfriend, and my best friend, Breeze. But… If I hate him so freakin' much why can't I get him out of my head? I'm parsecs away from him and after the whole Laurie thing made me realize I hate him but why do I miss him? Oh, someone's calling. …That was Shadow! He said he misses me. Isn't that nice? But… I digress, I still hate him.

End of Entry.

Shadow laughed.

"So ya liked that one did ya?"

I yanked the book out of his hands.

"You said you don't have a diary."

Shadow smiled.

"I know, it's a leader's log."

I blushed.

"Oh! That's what you put in those!"

He laughed.

"Oh shut up."

I elbowed him in the gut.

"Ow!'

He continued to laugh.

"Did he read the one where…"

I have Stella my coldest look.

She quickly covered her mouth.

"Read which one?"

Shadow asked.

"Nothing."

I replied.

"Okay."

Shadow said.

"What the (BEEP!)!"

I heard Tails scream.

I ran into his workshop.

We were getting a transmission.

We all looked up at the screen.

"Chao chao!"

I saw a female Shadow chao on screen.

"Rapid!"

I yelled.

'Hi Maria!'

Of course she was speaking like a chao but I understood her all the same.

"Hey, hon!"

"You have a Shadow chao?"

Shadow asked.

"Isn't she adorable?"

'We heard there was trouble on earth and wanted to make sure you were okay.'

"I'm fine what about the other chao? Noah, Rapidah, Niagra, Missy, Tango, Speedy, Tassy, Fang, Max, Champ, Jewel, Emerald, Hiccup, Marine, Knux, Comish, Melody, Memory, that one I haven't named, and Choc? Are they okay?"

'They're fine.'

"Why's it only your chao?"

"Shadow, you only have one chao and they're not even a grown up."

"How would you know? You've never seen her."

'His chao are calling in too. I love you mom.'

"Love you too, hon."

I said.

Shadow's chao came up.

"Chao!"

The chao smiled happily at Shadow.

"Maria!"

I said.

"You named your chao Maria?"

I looked at him.

"I don't have a problem."

He said and turned his attention back to the screen.

"Are you alright?"

He asked.

The chao nodded.

"Billy!"

Knux said.

"Billy?"

I said.

"Yes."

Knux said.

"Maria says, everyone's okay and that if Billy jumps in the water and starts screaming one more time she's just gonna let him drown."

The screen went back to the prisoner slideshow.

I looked at Shadow uncomfortably.

"You named your chao Maria?"

I raised an eyebrow.

"Well…"

"He probably just missed you."

Stella said.

"I know you missed him."

"One more word and you're getting a chunk out of your allowance."

I was getting very annoyed by her revealings.


	14. 2nd

(I do NOT own sonic the hedgehog or any of his friends.)

That night I told Stella goodnight and lay down in bed next to her.

I couldn't sleep.

So many thoughts swimming through my head.

'_Isn't it cute how Stella refers to Shadow as her dad?'_

'_If by cute you mean creepy, yeah.'_

'_Well if you didn't think of yourself as her mom wouldn't it be cute?'_

'_Yeah, I guess.'_

'_Xipho's gonna be the end of your friendship with Shadow.'_

'_Yeah, I know.'_

'_He didn't used to get me so angry.'_

'_He's always treated Shadow like he was an Idiot but not me.'_

'_It just makes me feel weird.'_

'_Well, Shadow's only a wall away again.'_

I pounded on the wall behind our bed.

Shadow came in.

"What is it?"

He yawned.

"Just making sure it still worked."

I smiled.

"You can't get to sleep either."

He gave me a sad look.

"No."

I shot him one back.

He came and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Did ya see my Xipho pic in my room?"

He asked.

"Yeah, I thought it was hilarious."

I laughed.

"Good. I thought you would."

I got out of bed and put on my slippers.

"Whatcha doin'?"

He asked.

"Come on. Sit on the couch with me the bed's no place to talk."

I sat patting the couch cushion next to mine.

He came over.

"Do you ever wish you could redo something?"

I asked.

"All the time."

He said.

"What would you redo?"

"Well, for starters that beach ball incident the other day."

"How would you redo it?"

I looked him straight in the eye when I said it.

"I'd um…"

He took my hand and moved closer.

It got to the point where he was so close to me I could taste his breathe.

'_This is it, you're gonna finally kiss Shadow'_

Our lips were about to touch.

"Dad, Maria, Whatcha doin'?"

Stella said rubbing her eyes.

I pushed Shadow away.

"Nothing."

We said in unison.

"I didn't look like nothing."

She giggled.

"Well it was."

I growled.

"I'd better get going before I answer anymore of your questions."

Shadow said getting up.

I laughed.

"See ya."

I called.

He waved as he closed my door,

I went over and lay back down next to Stella.

"You were gonna kiss him."

She taunted.

"Was not, he was gonna kiss me. I didn't mean that!"

I said my face brick red.

Stella giggled.

"I know, I saw the whole thing. I couldn't get to sleep either. That's the second time he's tried to kiss you."

"I know."

I looked away.

"Why don't you just tell him you love him?"

Stella looked at me sincerely.

"Because… I'm not sure he loves me back. I can't just tell him. It's just too weird."

I looked up at my canopy.

"I don't understand how it can be so hard."

Stella said.

"Soon enough, little star, soon enough."

I didn't fall asleep that night.

I simply lied in bed thinking.

(Next Day)

"Hey, Maria."

He didn't sound like he wanted to see me.

"Hey, Shadow."

I tried to match his tone but couldn't do it.

I was too happy to see him.

Sounds scary, doesn't it?

That's good, cuz it is scary.

He looked up at me.

His eyes full of sadness.

"What's wrong?"

I asked putting my hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know. I had a horrible dream last night."

He said.

"What was it about?"

I wanted to know what was keeping Shadow from being happy.

"You."

He said solemnly.

"Oh…"

I took my hand off his shoulder and crossed my arms.

"I can see why your night would be restless."

Now I had no problem matching his tone if not having a worse one.

"That's not what I meant."

He rolled his eyes.

"Well, then. What did you mean?'

I asked.

"You don't want to know."

It was like wasting precious air on him.

"Ugh."

Stella came out of my room still in her pajamas.

She yawned.

I grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her to the kitchen.

"Whoa! Hi dad!"

"Hey."

Shadow didn't even wave.

"What's his problem?"

"Me."

I grunted.

"What do you mean?"

She asked when we got to the kitchen.

"He had a bad dream last night."

"Was it about you?"

"Yes."

"What'd he say when you asked him why it was bad?"

"I don't wanna know."

"Oh. He's pretty secretive isn't he?"

"More than you know."

I made us waffles.

I saw Shadow.

He's bonkers for every kind of sauce and dressing, so his eyes popped when he saw there was only a bit left of the syrup.

I smiled malevolently.

"You wouldn't dare."

He said.

I poured the last bit of it on my waffles.

Then melted the bottle with my pyrotechnical abilities.

"Ugh. I trust you didn't make me waffles either."

He grumbled.

"Nope!"

I said spitting at him.

He made his own.

"That manly enough for ya?"

He said commenting on what I'd said yesterday.

"No. I'm more of a chicken person."

I smiled.

He poured steak sauce on his waffles.

"Ew. Lemme try."

I said.

"Can I have one of yours?"

He asked.

"Knock yourself out, it's "no sugar added" syrup, yuck."

I ate the steak sauced waffled happily.

"Ew. Did you two share?"

Sonic said sitting down next to me at the table.

"Mm Hm."

I nodded my mouth full of steaffle.

(Steak + waffle)

"Does that one have steak sauce on it?'

He said scornfully.

"Yeah, want some?"

"Did it originally come off Shadow's plate?"

He asked.

"Yes."

"No."

Stella took one look at my steaffle and went to go get rid of her "no sugar added" ones.

(I wonder what a steaffle would taste like. Ya know what I'd better not think about it. I've been pretty queasy today without _that_ going through my head.)

(Thanx Breeze, Shanequa, and FMAFreak for your kind reviews. You three are the only ones who are ever gonna read this anyway, but hey, at least you're nice. Again, Thanx, you three drive me to keep writing.)


	15. Onyx

(I don't own Sonic and the gang. They are owned by SEGA and Sonic Team.)

"Oh come on. They're steaklicious."

I said waving my plate in his face.

"Pass."

He pursed his lips.

"More for me."

I finished my steaffle.

"So… I trust you two had a good night."

He looked from me to Shadow.

"You know I didn't. My room's security camera is wired to your computer. You always know what I'm up to."

I said washing my plate.

"It is!"

Shadow panicked.

Sonic smiled maliciously at his terror.

"Yes and what I saw was quite abhorrent."

Sonic looked coldly at Shadow.

"Well…"

Shadow sat uncomfortably in his chair.

"You know your kid calls him "Daddy", right?"

Sonic said as Stella walked in the room.

"Yes."

I said bluntly.

Sonic was obviously expecting a "SHE DOES!" or maybe "She's not my kid" cuz he was blown over by my calmness.

"I saw you, and the redo thing."

He continued.

"I know, I don't care. All I did was asked a question."

So Sonic glared at Shadow.

"Ya know I never actually got around to answering that."

Shadow got up and walked over to me.

He grabbed my hand.

"I'd duck this time."

He said smiling at Sonic's stunned face.

I almost fell over laughing.

Stella didn't know what to do so she left.

"What's so funny?"

Ogwa came in.

"Ew. What's on that waffle?"

She pointed at Shadow's plate which he hadn't finished.

"Steak sauce."

Shadow shrugged.

"They're steaklicious."

I advertised.

"Ew. I'm glad I lack the ability to heave."

Ogwa looked away from it.

"Shadow scared Sonic, that's what's funny."

I threw the steaffle away.

"So, when do you think we'll do an assault on Alpha?"

Ogwa said.

I too was itching to kill something.

"As soon as we know where he is."

Sonic answered.

Breeze stepped in and ordered Sonic to make her some black coffee, no sugar whatsoever.

Sonic did so.

"Hey Breeze."

I waved.

"Yuck, what did you eat?"

She waved her hand in front of her nose.

"Steaffle."

Hm, that looks a lot like it says Seattle not Steaffle,

"That is a…?"

Breeze asked.

"Waffle with Steak Sauce."

I replied.

She looked at Shadow.

"Look what you've done to her."

She shook her head.

"She asked if she could have some."

She looked at me.

"You mean you ate _his_ steaffle?"

She was now grossed out.

"Um, yeah. He didn't bite off it or anything."

I said.

"Well, that's good to know."

Xipho ran in accidentally knocking into Breeze who dropped her mug and ordered Sonic to clean it up and make her a new cup of coffee.

"What'd you do that for!"

Breeze yelled at Xipho.

"I wanted to."

He shrugged.

She smacked him up side the head.

I giggled.

Shadow smiled at my thinking Xipho's pain was humorous.

Breeze glared at me.

"Sorry."

I smiled awkwardly.

"Steak sauce girl."

Breeze mumbled.

I shrugged it off.

"I found out that Amy has…"

Amy came up from behind him and beat him with her hammer.

"Jerk! Secrets are meant to be secret!"

She continued to beat him.

Breeze grabbed the handle.

"Amy, we understand."

Tikal ran outside.

I ran out to see what she was doing I saw a debris wave that would hit any minute I went to help her as did Breeze.

The debris wave was right in front of us and we held it back by making the wind go opposite our direction.

When the debris wave died out and we were done coughing we saw a leaf blower except bigger.

"Whoa."

I went up and examined it.

"This is what has been making those storms?"

It was floating.

"Hm. It must be magnetized."

I observed.

Tails looked it over before taking it apart.

Truth was there wasn't anything that looked vaguely like a magnet in it.

Just a big Onyx gem.

"Wow."

Tails removed the gem but it was too heavy he dropped it on his foot.

Cream came and helped him get it off.

It took five of us to get it inside Tails workshop.

"That's heavy."

Shadow said wiping sweat from his brow.

"What the heck do you think it is?"

I sat down.

"Ow!"

I got up revealing a tack.

I looked at Cream holding it up.

"Sorry, it was for Tails."

She laughed embarrassed.

I merely rolled my eyes.

I broke the metal needle up against the concrete wall before sitting back down.

Shadow came and sat down next to me.

"Ow!"

He too had sat on a tack.

"Why are you obsessed with tacking Tails' butt, Cream!"

He threw the tack at her.

"Cuz it's hilarious to see everyone else sit on the tacks on accident."

She made an evil grin.

"Okay…"

He looked at the other chairs to find that all of them had tacks on them.

He put his head in his hands and shook it.

Rouge burst into the room.

"What is it?"

I stood up feeling concerned.

"Oh nothing, I just wanted to see what your reaction would be.

Tikal came in; she had been in the bathroom.

"Whoa."

Tikal whispered and ran up to the over sized gem.

"I have not seen one of these in years. It's HUGE and in perfect condition. They're only found on Seduction Aurora."

"Well then no, duh you haven't seen one in years. You went to Seduction Aurora just before I joined the team. I was 16 when I joined the team. That was 5 years ago. Great. Now I feel old all over again."

I slumped back into my seat.

Shadow put his arm around me and told me I wasn't old and that if I was it'd make feel really uncomfortable right now.

"Then again. I'm older than you."

He concluded shrugging.

"By like, three days."

I rolled my eyes.

"Four, my birthday is _four_ days before yours."

He corrected me.

"Close enough."

I went over and looked at the gem.

I bent down and found we probably could've just pushed it in here for even now it was retracting the earth's surface.

In other words, it was still floating.

"That's no ordinary Onyx!"

Rouge exclaimed.

"That's an Onyx from Seduction Aurora!"

She put her hands over her mouth.

"Uh, yeah, duh, we've been through that already. What's the big deal?"

I decided bending over to look at anything wasn't exactly the best idea, knowing Johnny still resides in these corridors.

"Seduction Aurora was wiped out 5 years ago!"

Tikal had managed to get to the point before Rouge did.

"Okay, start making sense here within 3 seconds or I'll you both a beating you won't soon forget."

I put my hands on my hips.

"Right after we left some_thing _took it over. He stripped the planet of everything it had to offer, wrote his name in the ground and started it over completely under his rule. It's like it had never been. It's not even Seduction Aurora anymore. Now it's Alpha Beta Nine."

She shook her head in despair.

I freaked out because Alpha Beta Nine was the worst planet name in the galaxy.

"So… this guy's name was…?"

"Alpha."

Rouge answered for her.


	16. Radio HACK

(I don't own Sonic and the gang, they are owned by SEGA and Sonic Team.)

"Crap."

I said and the whole room fell silent.

"Hey Guys! Whatcha… doin?"

Johnny entered the room and he got quieter with every word he said.

All of us were silent and more than half of our jaws dropped.

I went back over to my seat and held my head.

I was developing the headache of the century and I was sure it wasn't going to go away anytime soon.

Shadow blinked.

"So, you mean to tell me, that Seduction Aurora, _the_ Seduction Aurora that we went to way back when I was dating Rouge and Knux was nice, the one with lush green jungles and forests, and all the crazy selkie mermaid people things, and probably the most hostile environment you'll ever get without making Maria angry, that Seduction Aurora, was taken over by him?"

"Yup, that's what she said."

I had both my hands on my head now, the pain was growing worse.

Shadow laughed his "giving up now" laugh.

"That's just great, just freakin' great."

He said pushing his bangs back.

"Best say goodbye to Darren, Amy, cuz this is gonna be like taming a chimera."

Shadow leaned back in his seat.

"Don't say that, it'll something more of a dragon, rather than a chimera. Ssth!"

I hissed in pain.

"You okay?"

Shadow stopped mourning and leaned over to see my face.

"I'm fine, I just need some aspirin."

I said rubbing my forehead.

"Here."

He pulled some out of his pocket.

"Cures writer's block, ya know?"

He handed me the box.

I took two without a drink.

Then went back to my forehead rubbing.

We sat there for hours.

Tails couldn't find a way to get a map of the earth that was detailed enough to find out where Alpha's base was.

We tried messing around with some Ideas.

But it seemed impossible without Internet or Radio frequency.

"If only there was some way to track his radio frequency to its origin. Then we could just blow the thing up and we'd be able to find his base."

I said; the aspirin didn't seem to have worked.

I was still rubbing my forehead.

Tails smacked himself in the head.

"Duh!"

He yelled.

"Please don't yell."

I groaned feeling sure that my headache was turning into a full fledged migraine as we spoke.

"If the radio frequency is stretching all over the earth than he has to have more than one. If I can just. AH HA! Found 'em! There are six of them. I expect you to leave as soon as possible. Maria, Shadow, Stella, there's one in Japan. Sonic, Amy there's one in South Africa. Tikal, Knux, there's one in Brazil. Breeze, Xipho, take the one in Cuba. Jwan, Carlos, would you be so kind as to take the one in London, and Cream and I will take the one in Sydney. Everyone good with that?"

He looked around everyone nodded, except Shadow.

"Um, can Maria and I go tomorrow? Maria doesn't feel good."

He felt my head, winced, and pulled back his hand immediately.

"Sorry, my headaches have fiery tempers."

I smiled but flinched directly afterwards.

"Could I have some Mountain Dew?"

I asked.

"No prob."

Shadow left the room.

"Very good, you've gotten Shadow to become your slave."

Sonic said looking at the door.

"This hurts _really _bad Sonic. I'm not kidding."

I looked up at him.

Shadow came back a few minutes later with a mountain dew.

"Here."

Handed it to me and sat down next to me on the floor.

"Thanks, Shadow."

I smiled at him wholeheartedly.

He smiled back.

I didn't talk for about a half hour after that but Shadow didn't seem to mind just sitting there staring at me.

"I think I'm feeling better now."

I said trying to get up.

"Do you need some help?"

Shadow asked already on his feet.

"No, I'm fine."

It was true my headache had gone away but now I was a bit queasy.

I walked out of the room.

"Do you need to sit down?"

He held me up cuz my legs were shaking.

"Uh, yeah, let's go to your room. It's got a brighter atmosphere."

I took another sip of my mountain dew.

"It's got flames on the walls."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Exactly."

I laughed and then coughed.

He sat me down on the bed.

"I'll be right back."

He said looking into my eyes.

He left.

I looked around.

There were pictures lying all over his bed.

They all had dates on them.

I found one of them from three years ago when we were at my pool.

It was of me, in my bikini.

I was never exactly proud of that one.

It was a little bit more revealing than a bikini should be.

Shadow apparently had no problem with that.

I found a picture of a model he had ripped out of a magazine.

'_Boys'_

I saw something stapled to it.

I flipped it over to find a picture of me in the exact same pose.

It looked awesome.

It wasn't a pose you'd find me in anytime soon, but I still looked good.

There were billions of pictures of me all over the bed.

One of them was of him and me.

Of the beach ball incident.

I picked it up.

It looked so much more wrong than I remember it feeling.

I found another pic

This one was of Stella and me.

We looked so happy.

Shadow handed me some steak sauce.

"What's this for?"

I looked it over.

"What isn't it for?"

He smiled.

I laughed.

I was thirsty as heck so I shook the bottle, opened it up and drank like the wind.

I finished it in one gulp.

Shadow looked at me.

"How'd you do that? I love that stuff and it at least takes me three."

He said wide eyed.

"I'm thirsty as heck."

I licked some sauce off my lips.

"Got some more?"

I asked.

"Uh, yeah. But I don't recommend more than one within the same hour. That stuff gets ya high, ya know?"

He took the bottle away when I looked in it to see if there was any left.

"Here, another mountain dew."

He threw me a mountain dew that he got out of his mini fridge.

I just barely caught it.

I felt dizzy; I didn't tell Shadow cuz he told me the steak sauce might've had that effect.

I had so but I felt a sharp pain in my side.

I dropped the soda and passed out.

"…Maria!"

That was all I heard before I faded into my own world.

I couldn't feel.

It was all black.

I was enclosed within something.

Everything shined.

Suddenly a beam of light seemed to go through me making a rainbow reflect behind me.

I awoke.

"Hm?"

I rubbed my head.

I looked at Shadow.

I hadn't yet noticed anyone else was there.

"Are you okay?"

He seemed panicked.

"I'm fine. How long have I been asleep?"

I looked around to find I had been moved to Breeze's room.

There wasn't a clock in sight.

"Four hours."

He looked in my eyes and I wondered what he saw in them.

"Don't look at my sister like that."

I turned and saw Sonic.

But it wasn't just Sonic.

It was Breeze, Jwan, Stella, and Sonic.

Ogwa stepped in holding what seemed to be a milkshake.

"Oh, you're up."

She said handing the shake.

"Shadow told me you liked those so I decided to make one for you."

I smiled.

It tasted great.

She could be a chef.

"Thanks!"

I gave her the biggest fanged smile I'd ever given in my life.

"Do you have any idea why you fainted?"

Breeze asked pushing Sonic out of her way.

"Steak sauce."

I said.

"Nah. Steak sauce wouldn't have done that."

Shadow scratched his head in thought.


	17. Dictation

(I don't own Sonic and the gang. SEGA and Sonic Team do.)

(Oh um, this may have taken a little while cuz I haven't been feeling very well and I threw up last night. I probably jinxed myself by putting in the steaffle. Gag.)

"I blame you. You gave her that sauce."

Breeze said glaring.

"Yeah, well maybe you didn't hear me but I just said the steak sauce didn't do it."

Shadow said.

I didn't like it when my friends argued over me.

I mean literally, over me.

"Then what did do it, Mr. I know everything?"

Breeze yelled.

It just hit me.

I got out of the bed and walked out the door.

"Maria?"

They all said.

They followed me.

I went into Tails workshop.

I touched the Onyx.

I could feel something was out of order.

Shadow touched my shoulder.

I knew something was wrong.

There was a power out there that had too much control.

I couldn't grasp what it was.

I let go of the gem.

"D-did you feel that?"

Shadow stuttered.

"Yeah, did you?"

I looked at my hands.

Everyone looked at me funny.

"Agh!"

Breeze grabbed her head.

"Breeze!"

I held her up.

"I have a headache."

She moaned.

"You too!"

I looked at Shadow.

"Do you think this is being caused by the gem?"

He looked back at it.

"Yes."

I picked Breeze up and got her to her room.

"I didn't feel that the fist time I touched it. Why am I reacting now?"

I asked Shadow.

"I think it's cuz of that fit you had."

"But… that means there's some connection between the gems and us."

I looked at Breeze.

"The process seems to be quickening."

He pulled me up a chair.

"What happened when you blacked out?"

"I was inside a room with walls of pure red stained glass. Light shined on the room and it shined right through me."

I touched my stomach to make sure it was still there.

"Maybe you were inside the gem?"

Shadow suggested.

"Nah. It was red. Besides, I would've _been_ the gem. Not been in it."

"Well, there are probably other gems. If this one is powering one of those giant leaf blowers than what's powering the others?"

He looked at Breeze.

"I'm gonna hurl."

She moaned.

I handed her a bowl.

"She's gonna splurk."

I said looking away.

"Splurk?"

Shadow asked.

"Yeah. Doesn't splurk just sound like a throw up word? My stomach feels splurkish. I gotta splurk."

"I um, guess so."

Shadow looked back at Breeze.

SPLURK!

"Ugh. So splurky."

I gagged.

"So, how many of these gems do you think there are?"

I shrugged.

"I felt like something was terribly wrong. As though there was a large imbalance that just annoyed the heck out of me. Like, I just had to do something about it."

Shadow nodded.

"Yeah, me too."

I heard a large object heading towards the house.

No, wait, several large objects.

I ran outside.

Shadow ran in my wake.

I saw the largest debris storm that side of the Milky Way.

They were right in front of me when they stopped.

"You guys, come look!"

Tails screamed.

I cracked open all the leaf blowers.

I found there was a different color for all the leaf blowers.

"Maria, Shadow, Breeze! Get in here!"

Tails shouted.

"YOU GET OUT HERE, PUNK!"

I hollered.

Tails came out.

"Holy…"

He whispered.

I saw a red one that seemed to be garnet.

It caught my eye.

I ran up and touched it.

"Alpha…"

It was a short message this time.

Breeze came outside apparently feeling better.

The turquoise caught her eye.

There were thirteen jewels, counting the onyx inside.

The unlucky number.

Everyone moaned in unison.

Breeze and I turned around and saw that everyone was sick.

She and I looked each other.

Shadow had been right.

The process was quickening.

A few people threw up and they all had passed out within five minutes.

I cleaned up the splurk while Breeze went around spraying everyone with water to wake them up.

Once they were all awake I went over and picked up the garnet.

I put it down next to the ship.

I told Shadow to go get the onyx and bring it out.

Breeze got what I was thinking and brought the turquoise over.

I told the people that if there was a gem that attracted their attention to pick it up and bring it over with the rest of ours.

When I was done there was one left.

I called Tiavinah.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Tiavinah, it's Maria."

"No! It can't be! You guys are all gone! I finally have a day off! The house to myself!"

"Sorry. I need you to come to Earth."

"Tch, whatever."

She hung up.

"Teens."

I growled.

Tikal and Rouge studied the gems.

"They seem to have an attraction to our elements."

Tikal scratched her head.

"They seem a lot like the chaos emeralds, except each one has an individual care taker rather than all of them protect by an incompetent teen."

Rouge put her hands on her hips and looked around at all of them again.

Knux gritted his teeth.

Tiavinah showed up.

"Ugh. I had this horrible feeling just before I came here. I had a horrid headache and I passed out. At that point I freaked out and came here. Ooh, pretty!"

She ran up and looked over the lavender gem.

"Can I have it?"

She looked back at Breeze and me.

"Sure just move it to the place with the others."

I was growing impatient with her.

"So, if it's like the chaos emeralds than there has to be a Master Gem."

Tikal looked around.

"But, who has that?"

"Something tells me Alpha does. He was controlling these some way."

I pointed at the leaf blower shells.

"He must. But then. Why did they come to us?"

She looked at me awkwardly.

"Well, we do have elements. I doubt that's very common. The gems tend to reflect our powers. Mine is red, Shadow's is black, and Breeze's is turquoise. Doesn't it seem a bit too much to be a coincidence? Besides, mine whispered to me."

I touched it again.

I ran my finger down its smooth surface.

"Mine too."

A few of us said.

"Alpha…"

I whispered to the gem.

"What is so important about Alpha?"

I whispered.

The gem glowed a bit.

"Dictation…"

The gems hummed.

"What about dictation?"

Breeze asked hers.

"Dictation…"

They hummed again.

"How is he controlling you?"

I asked, though mainly speaking to myself.

"Dictation…"

It seemed that that was the only answer.

Dictation…

Rule over all.

Alpha had taken over several planets.

But, I didn't understand.

What did they mean?

Dictation…


	18. Torture

(Sonic and the gang are owned by SEGA and Sonic Team, I do not own them.)

(I'm feeling better now. Thanx for reviewing Jwan, Did you puke on the kissy parts cuz your stomach isn't good with that stuff. Oh, I have been calling myself Maria and my friend Shadow. It's creeping me out. Can someone tell me how to stop doing that?)

"Hm… I'd better go blast that radio tower."

I looked at Tails.

"No, best not. Everything's back on line. These gems must be his power source. Without them he can't control the radio towers."

Tails hugged his gem.

"That's not even right."

Shadow said seeing that Xipho has a gem.

"That Xipho has a gem?"

I asked.

"No, that his gem isn't sulfur."

He groaned.

I laughed.

Then Breeze gave me the "I dare you to laugh at him again and see what happens" look.

I stopped laughing.

Suddenly the gems flew up into the air and started to spin in an elliptical pattern.

"What the…"

Stella whispered grabbing my sleeve.

A giant beam of light burst out of them.

The sky turned dark and the ground we were standing on ripped out of the earth and was dragged to a barren waste land in Antarctica that none of us, not even Tails, knew existed.

"I see. You, you pathetic _things,_ are the great warriors that the chaos elements have brought me. I understand that you thirteen are the few who hold the power of the chaos elements."

All I could see was a black blob.

"You mean that the gems _are_ the chaos elements!"

I yelled.

"Yes. You thirteen have been blessed by their power. They must have strayed out of my range for some reason. Did they want you to get rid of me?"

The blob turned what I thought was its head towards to chaos elements which seemed to be quivering in fear.

"Y… OOF!"

Tails had started to say yes but I tripped him.

"Yoof? Do you not speak English?"

The blob asked.

"We speak English, but I'd like to know something first. Are the chaos elements alive?"

I looked back at the shaking rocks.

"In a way. They know when there is danger. They understand balance."

The blob went on.

"Well, then why do you want to know why they brought us here?"

"You ask a lot of questions, girl."

The blob stepped into the light.

It was a creature I'd never seen before.

It had the largest fangs I'd ever seen, horns, red eyes, claws; you know the kind of thing you'd only see in a nightmare.

"Whoa. He musta been on "Pimp my bad guy" or somethin'."

Tikal whispered.

I nodded.

The guy looked like he stepped off a horror movie poster.

"Power gives you that sort of look."

He walked towards us slowly.

He walked straight up to me.

I grabbed Shadow and pulled him in front of me.

"Ha, Ha, Ha! Foolish. Do you really think it will you any good to hide behind this inferior Lifeform?"

Alpha laughed.

"Hey! I'm the ultimate Lifeform!"

Shadow yelled.

"It's true, just ask his creator."

I said.

"Hm, you resemble a once great ally of mine, Black Doom."

Alpha muttered,

"What, he doesn't look anything like his dad!"

I yelled suddenly not needing Shadow for protection.

"I wouldn't be so sure, he'd pretty darn ugly."

Breeze muttered.

"Oh, shut up Breeze. You only hate him cuz he gives me more attention then he does you."

I yelled.

"So! I deserve more attention than you! My parents are dead!"

She yelled back.

"I don't care if your parents are dead! What'd they ever do for you anyway?"

"Die! That's what they did! They died for me!"

"No, your mom did. Your dad died because of self pity."

"I'm sorry girls but I'm in the middle of evil doing so if you would just SHUT UP for a few seconds, I would appreciate it greatly."

Alpha shouted.

We stopped bickering.

"Sorry Breeze."

I whispered.

"That's okay."

Breeze whispered back.

"Did they or did they not bring you here because they felt I had too much power?"

Alpha asked again.

"They did."

Tikal said quietly.

"Thank you, your death will be less painful than everyone else's."

Alpha said.

"Death? You're going to kill us?"

Stella asked grabbing my legs.

"Yes, little girl, I am."

He bent down and picked her up.

"Hey! Give me Stella!"

I jumped up to grab her but he was too tall.

Stella started crying.

"I don't think so. She is too young. I will place her with _proper_ parents and she will be mind wiped along with the rest of them."

He turned to hand her to a robot.

I took out my shotgun.

BANG!

I shot him in the shoulder.

"Maria!"

Stella screamed and ran to me.

I picked her up.

"I see. If you want to play rough, I can play rough."

As he said it we were attacked by robots.

We were doing pretty well at first.

But every time we beat one another came to take its place.

"There are to many!"

I shouted.

"No! Keep fighting!"

Breeze said.

Jwan was down.

'_Great'_

'_Now if we die there's no one to bring us back.'_

Breeze got a large gash in her side.

"Breeze!"

I yelled.

"Keep fighting!"

She yelled once more.

So I did.

Finally we were all knocked out.

I woke up inside a glass capsule.

Everyone was in one and we were in a circle around a computer.

There was a button on the side of each one.

"Sound Proof."

It read.

"I see you're all awake."

Alpha said stepping into the room.

"Welcome to the dungeon. It's a bit more modern than most but it serves me well."

Sonic was in the capsule next to me, struggling to get out of his restraints.

"Well, it says in the "Intergalactic Super-Villain Handbook" that the next step is to tell you my evil plan."

He closed the book and looked around the room.

"I am Alpha. I take over planets as a hobby. I have the master element, Dictation. I rule. But not I rule as in I rock. I rule as in I've got the power."

"Isn't that a 1980's song?"

Cream asked.

"Silence! I own your world as of now. You are the last of the heroes to fall."

I thought about the few still on earth. I decided not to mention them for fear of their safety.

"These capsules you are in are torture devices. There are two tanks attached to your capsules. One provides oxygen, the other makes your worst fears realized. The computer behind me helps me monitor your dreams. I'll start with the smart one. His name is…"

"Tails, he eats drinks and sleeps inventing. It's his life."

Cream said.

"I see. And you wish he would put down his tools and pay a bit more attention to the world around him. Is this true?"

"Yes."

"Alright, well, Tails, you will be the first to go."

Alpha pressed a button on the computer then went up and pressed the Sound Proof on Tails capsule.

After a few minutes we saw that Tails was screaming.

We couldn't hear him but he was definitely screaming.

I looked around and found that Stella wasn't there.

She was with the other prisoners.

I looked up I saw Cream was almost enjoying seeing Tails suffer.

He must've treated her pretty badly while I was gone.

After a while Alpha turned off the gas and Tails stopped screaming.

"How'd that feel, Tails? Did you enjoy the horror you've been putting me through?"

Cream hissed at Tails.

Tails was still catching his breath, tears rolled down the young fox's face.

"Who is the leader here?"

We all looked at Sonic.

"Who, out of the people here, do you hate the most."

'_Oh no'_

"Shadow."

Sonic turned his head to look at him.

Alpha walked up to Shadow who took at quick nervous glance at me.

Alpha looked in Shadow's eyes.

He leaned his head back and laughed then went over and pressed anther button on the computer.

I heard a loud hissing.

"I said Shadow!"

Sonic screamed.

I passed out.


	19. Verbal Abuse

(I don't own Sonic and the gang, they are owned by SEGA and Sonic Team)

"Huh?"

I had just woken up.

I looked around and everyone was asleep.

I tried melting my way through the restraints.

To my surprise it worked.

I cracked open the glass.

I got Shadow and Sonic out before the alarms went off and we took off running.

"Maria! What happened, we thought you were dead when you passed out?"

Shadow looked at me wide eyed.

"Guess not."

I smiled.

To my surprise all of his security was really easy to get past.

'_So close to being out!'_

We were right there at the exit when…

GRAOGH!

I turned to see the monster from my dreams.

"Not again…"

I whispered.

Shadow and Sonic got in front of me.

"No, don't, he'll kill you!"

I screamed.

"Come now. Have a little more faith in us."

Sonic smiled.

(With Shadow)

"I see. This must be a nightmare she has a lot."

Alpha looked at me.

I was shaking in my chair.

"A nightmare she has a lot?"

Shadow asked.

He turned to look at Sonic.

"Did you know she has nightmares a lot?"

Sonic shook his head.

"Well, she knows what's going to happen and she's bracing herself."

Alpha looked at me suspiciously.

(With me)

"No. Not again. This isn't possible. How does this keep happening to me?"

I asked my head in my hands.

I wasn't crying.

I had gone through this too many times to cry about it.

I woke up again.

"It was a dream. Again."

I looked around and everyone was still asleep.

"Shadow!"

I whispered.

"Wha… oh, it's you."

He hissed.

"We thought you were dead."

He looked at me with an expression full of loathing.

(With Sonic)

"She has passed my first round."

Alpha said pushing a button.

"What do you mean first round?"

Sonic struggled against the restraints even more.

"I mean, when you two died it didn't reduce her to a sobbing blob of wimp so she has to move on to the next round."

Alpha smiled looking at his computer monitor.

"So this is her second worst fear besides you both dying. How pitiful."

He shook his head still smiling.

(With me)

"So my being alive hurts you somehow?"

I growled.

"Yes. Your being alive hurts me quite a bit. I'll have to deal with your endless obsession over me. It's very annoying. I can't do anything without consulting you. For years now I've been acting like I'm your friend because I'm nice and I do want to keep my job but you've tried to kiss me twice. That's just creepy. I can't even date anyone without you getting all jealous."

Shadow rolled his eyes.

"I am not jealous of all the idiots, Breeze isn't an idiot, you date. Go on, date 'em if you want. See if I care."

I slumped into my seat.

"I have seen you care. And frankly I wish you wouldn't."

He snarled.

"Alright, I won't care."

I again melted through the restraints and broke through the capsule.

I broke Shadow's capsule and leaned over really close to his face.

"Jerk."

I whispered.

(With Alpha)

"Ha, ha, ha! She reacts so well to your taunts!"

He laughed.

"Whose taunts?"

Sonic asked.

"Shadow's! It's really quite humorous!"

Alpha continued to laugh.

Jwan was at the perfect angle to see the screen.

"She is so gonna kick your butt, Shadow."

She laughed.

(With me)

I melted through his restraints but after they were gone I just kept melting.

"Agh! Go on, kill me. It'll get me away from you!"

Shadow mocked.

"Fine! I will!"

I had forgotten I still had a gun in my pocket, Ray 02.

I had it right up to his throat.

"Just before you pull that trigger I have a few things to say. Your endless crying the last three years, in vain. The millions of times you saved my life, in vain. Nothing you've done for the past five years matters once you kill me, cuz you did it all for me."

Tears streamed down my face.

"That's not true!"

I hollered.

"Yes it is. The truth is, you fell in love with some one that doesn't exist. And now all the time and effort you've put into making me love you back is down the drain."

He continued to smile in the face of death because he was seeing me in pain.

The very thought made my knees weak.

I fell to the floor and cried.

(With Jwan)

"Ah, good. _Something _got to her."

Alpha sighed.

"What are you doing to her!"

Shadow screamed seeing tears roll down my physical face.

"Ah, you're breaking her heart without even trying, how sad."

Alpha smiled maliciously.

"Stop this! This isn't fair!"

Jwan said.

"Silence!"

He pressed another button and Jwan went into torture mode.

(With me)

"That's not true! Shadow would never say that!"

I shook my head.

I heard a faint laughter and I opened my eyes.

I was back in my capsule and everyone, except Xipho and Breeze who were asleep, were looking at either me or Jwan.

"How did you enjoy your torture session?"

Alpha laughed.

"Jwan!"

I couldn't melt my way through the restraints.

This was reality.

"Don't worry. You will all come out soon to have a bit of sleep in the dungeons before I kill you."

Alpha gave Jwan a bit more time on the gas then released us into the dungeons.

"Are you okay?"  
I asked Jwan.

"No, I don't have any coffee."

Breeze growled.

"Not you, you didn't get tortured. In fact you fell asleep while _I _was being tortured."

I snarled.

"So? You weren't doing anything."

It actually made a bit of sense.

I went back to Jwan.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Are _you_ okay? You weren't exactly having the best time with verbal abuse."

She looked worried.

"I'm good."

I smiled.

Even though the truth was, I was still a little weak in the knees.

I sat next to her.

None of us, except Breeze and Xipho, could get any sleep.

"You feelin' okay, Jwan?"

Shadow asked sitting next to me.

"Yeah."

She smiled.

"What about you Maria?"

"I'm uh, fine."

It was weird having to switch from evil to good like that.

Jwan and I talked about my dreams once Shadow had left.

"It must've hurt. I don't know what I would do if Carlos said something like that to me."

Jwan said making pictures in the dirt floor with a twig she found.

"I'm fine now."

I looked at Shadow who had apparently been looking at me.

He looked away quickly,

"I don't think so."

Tikal sat next to me.

"Why aren't you talking to Knux? You two do everything together."

Jwan was still focused on her drawing.

"He's calling me a traitor for that thing earlier when he said my death would be less painful."

She rolled her eyes.

None of us were really worried.

Truth was, we'd been in some sticky situations.

And none of those bad guys had to use a manual.

I mean, we were pretty freaked out, until the manual thing.

We were pretty sure we were gonna make it out alive.

And if we didn't, Jwan would bring us back.

Or, maybe I would.

But not Breeze.


	20. Shadow I Um

(Sonic and his friends and enemies are property of SEGA and Sonic Team.)

I looked over Jwan's shoulder.

I had no idea what she was drawing…until she added the heart.

I erased it.

She gave me a big smile which indicated she was playing with my head.

But I wasn't in the mood for games.

"Very funny, Jwan."

I rolled my eyes.

"It was, wasn't it? Maria hearts Sha…"

She smiled brightly as she said it.

Shadow looked at us.

"Shackles. I love shackles. There's not a more fashionable restraint mechanism in the known world, now is there?"

Shadow looked away.

"Shackles? I was sure you'd come up with a better cover than that."

Tikal smiled at me.

"Why is everyone smiling at me? This isn't the time for smiling!"

I tried to put a negative spin on things but I was never really good at doing that on purpose.

"Yes it is. It's the perfect time to smile."

Amy said.

"We're battling an evil villain that has to use a manual to do his evil bidding."

Jwan giggled.

"He has age preferences."

Tikal rolled her eyes.

"His element is dictation."

Sonic stifled a laugh.

"Sorry to break it to ya, Empress of gloom, but this is gonna pretty darn easy."

Even Knux was looking on the bright side.

"We just need to get that jewel of his. It's obviously his power source."

Tails grinned.

"And um… oh crap! You guys took all the good ones! Now I don't have anything to say!"

Cream yelled.

Tiavinah sighed and smacked on the back of the head.

We all looked at Shadow.

"I, personally, couldn't care less about this conversation. From what I've seen, he enjoys seeing people in pain. I don't. If we don't get out of here soon there will be people in pain again. There are still I don't know how many people without powers back on earth who will soon be plunged into a new era without a clue what's going on. It's enough to make a rebellion but not a very big one. Stella is going to have absolutely no idea who any of us are. It doesn't look hunky dory to me. We may be able to beat him but we have a time limit. It's not "Can we?" it's "How fast can we?"."

Shadow, on the other hand, was _really_ good at putting a negative spin on things.

"Well, when you put it that way…"

Jwan looked nervous.

"Now look what you did."

I glared at Shadow.

"You went and made it all look worthless."

"It's better to be cautious than to get your hopes up and have them all crash down."

Shadow glared back.

"Yeah, just like it's better to be depressed than it is to be overly happy."

I rolled my eyes.

"That's not what I said."

Shadow growled.

"No, it's what I said. Because I think the whole world is gonna come crashing down on _my_ head."

I taunted.

Shadow stood up.

He could've killed me by now in one of the many fights we've had but he hadn't.

I stood too.

"You wanna take this to the playground?"

He asked sounding like he meant it.

I fell to the floor laughing.

"Yeah, you know what, sure. Right after naptime!"

I yelled through a waterfall of tears.

No one else really got it.

I looked around to find Haley wasn't there.

"Where's Haley?"

I asked coming out of my laughter fit.

"She went to the bathroom. Why?"

Tikal said.

"I thought you'd gotten over your stupidity."

I growled.

"Hey! Alpha man! I gotta go to the potty."

I yelled.

Shadow chuckled.

Alpha turned.

"You what?"

He asked.

"I gotta water!"

I screamed.

He came over.

"Say it clearly this time."

He hissed.

"I _need_ to tinkle!"

I said urgently.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head.

He opened the door.

I stepped out.

I found he was quite weak and easy to tie up.

"You won't get away with this!"

He thundered.

"Whose gonna stop us? Your jewel?"

I laughed.

Shadow woke up Breeze and Xipho.

Breeze put a time bomb on the ceiling of the dungeon.

It was set for fifteen minutes.

We were just about to leave when…

"Who dares to defy the Dictator?"

We all turned to see Alpha.

He had a hold of his gem and ours were circling around him madly.

"Oh crap."

Cream muttered.

"I rule your pathetic universe! The chaos elements are my power! You would have to destroy them to destroy me! And if you destroy them you unravel the very fabric of reality."

His laughter shook the earth.

"Great. He's unbeatable."

I rolled my eyes.

"This one wasn't even fair."

"See. Now you're prepared for your loss."

Shadow smiled.

"It's your loss too."

Breeze said.

"Oh yeah. Man, this stinks."

Shadow grumbled.

"Guess again!"

I heard the most mechanical sounding voice ever.

"Ogwa!"

We shrieked.

Alpha turned.

Everyone who had been left behind was here.

Trying to save our sorry butts.

Good luck with that.

One by one they fell.

Ogwa was left duking it out with the Alpha mister.

And out of no where Haley came out and took hold of the Master Element.

She held it in the air.

All of the Elements came together to form one large gem.

No wonder.

Haley's element is unity.

Her eyes glowed and her hair waved.

"No!"

Alpha screamed.

Finally, when her hair stopped flapping and her eyes stopped being all shiny, Haley said.

"So that's what this element is for!"

She smiled.

Jwan and Breeze helped the people get back to health.

We went home.

That night Breeze, Stella, and I packed to go home.

I gazed up at the stars outside wondering how this all happened.

It started to drizzle.

I was about to get up when Shadow came out.

I decided to stay.

"They're beautiful aren't they?"

I asked not noticing that Shadow was standing unusually close to me.

"Yeah. Our, Haley's, _some one's _victory only makes the stars look better."

"Agreed. Shadow… I … Um…"

I couldn't get the words out.

"Yes?"

His ears perked up in excitement.

I looked into his eyes and the deep red sucked me in.

When once sorrow, agony, and hatred filled this space now there was happiness.

Before I could grasp what I was doing I had a hold of Shadow's shoulders.

He moved closer as did I.

Our lips touched and I, shall we say… freaked out.

But still I kissed him.

Yup, here I am.

21 year old getting her first kiss.

YUCK!

I mean the thought is disgusting!

I guess it shouldn't be cuz… well you know… I did it.

But yeah.

I hated it and loved it at the same time.

Creepy, huh?

I could feel his fangs.

That's even creepier!

I could taste him!

EW!

I jumped back.

"What's wrong?"

Shadow asked, his eyes full of fear.

I fell on the ground laughing.

"Oh Shadow…"

I laughed as tears streamed down my face.

(FYI, I never _said_ she was cold and heartless now did I? I'll answer for you. No, I didn't. So there. Besides, she couldn't have a friend if she was heartless. P.S. I stole "you wanna take this to the playground?" from Breeze.)


	21. THE END! sorta

(I do NOT own Sonic and his friends. Sonic and co. are property of SEGA and Sonic Team.)

"I didn't mean anything was wrong with you. It's just my first kiss and it's a bit astonishing."

Shadow slowly became visible once more and he sat down beside me.

"Maria."

His expression was intense.

"I promise that whatever happened in your nightmare won't ever happen here on earth. I'll never do anything to hurt you."

"Ditto."

I whispered.

The rain fell harder as we sat.

We gazed up at the stars, twinkling as though polished by the crying of the clouds.

"I'm hungry."

I said just as my stomach growled.

"Knux is making sushi!"

(Just in case you don't know, I'm a sushiholic.)

Shadow suggested.

"Well what are we waiting for!"

I jumped up.

We were just about to leave.

"Shadow, could we keep this between you and me? Except mom, you can tell mom. Ya know what, I'll tell mom. I wanna see her face."

I smiled.

"Sure."

Shadow rolled his eyes and shook his head.

Little did I know a star had been watching us from behind a pillar.

THE END!

Now a few notes from the author…

Thank you all those that reviewed.

"Hey! Where am I in this!"

Sorry Johnny, Maria just sorta, forgot about you.

"But I wanted a love triangle!"

Too bad. Maria loves Shadow.

"NO! Ah whatever I'm gonna go get some sushi."

Get some for me will ya!

I love sushi.

Anyhoo. Do you think this is the end?

You'd better not cuz despite that last sentence up there it is soooo not over.

No WAY!

Jwan, you already know what's coming next so don't spoil the surprise.

Look it's mainly Shadow. Ya know never mind in this next one it's ALL Shadow.

Shadow, Shadow, Shadow!

The world revolves around Shadow!

In the next one that is.

Oops, I've said too much.

You'll need to read it yourself.

Any questions?

There's a purple button down there.

Review and I'll answer your questions.

Shanequa, I'm glad you got over the nightmares cuz my dad and I both agree that that's _really_ disturbing.

FMAFreak129, FULL METAL ALCHEMIST RULES! Even if there is a ton of violence and cursing.

Jwan, um, yeah. Hi. It's me! Hi. I'm uh, here just sitting. I sorta guess I should work on the movie… or something…I guess. I'm hungry.

Breeze, your fic rox. You should read hers cuz I don't understand Breeze that well so that'll explain Breeze for ya. Keep up the good work. Of course I can tell you that right now cuz I live with you… on Mars. But hey! Make it a surprise, eh.

I will have other fanfics in other categories later but right now I'm sticking to Sonic.


End file.
